Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia says the National Youth Service Corps has grown to become an effective tool for national integration and unity.
He made the remark on Thursday during the swearing in of 2018 Batch ‘B’ corps members deployed to the state at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp at Umunna in Bende Local Government Area.
The governor, who was represented by Mr Ike Anyatomwu, the state’s Commissioner for Youth Development, said that the scheme had impacted positively on the psyche of the Nigerian youth.
He added that “it is therefore imperative that we not only continue to sustain the scheme, but also work out ways of repositioning it with a view to enhancing its efficiency.”
Ikpeazu said that the good people of Abia were happy about the noble roles corps members played toward the development of the state.
He urged corps members posted to the state to take advantage of the newly introduced Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development and the NYSC War Against Poverty programmes, among others.
The NYSC Coordinator in the state, Mrs Franscesca Ifon, said that a total of 1,900 corps members were registered for the 21-day orientation.
She disclosed that the number comprised 1,048 males and 852 females.
Ifon charged the corps members to take all they would learn during the orientation course seriously.
The oath of allegiance was administered on the corps members by the Chief Judge of Abia, Justice Onuoha Ogwe, who was represented by Justice Thomas Adiele.
