By Gabriel Dike, Lagos
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Lagos State Coordinator, Mr Eddy Megwa, on Tuesday, tasked corps members to contribute their quota to national development.
Megwa, who spoke at the swearing-in- ceremony of 2022 Batch ‘A’ Stream corps members deployed to Lagos State, told them that the one year service is an opportunity to serve their father’s land.
Earlier, the representative of the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Yakubu Gbadebo Oshoala, administered the Oath on the 2,245 corps members deployed to the state at the Orientation Camp, Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos.
The coordinator told the gathering that corps members were ready to make a change and should be given the opportunity to contribute their quota to nation-building.
Megwa charged the 2,245 corps members to show commitment, dedication, self-discovery, ready to serve their father’s land, ready to make a paradigm shift and also be ready to pay the supreme sacrifice.
He recalled that 48 years ago, the first batch of corps members was enlisted to NYSC and they achieved a lot as well as enhanced national integration.
Giving a breakdown of corps members deployed to Lagos, Megwa said at the close of registration, 2,245 registered, out of which 969 were male while 1,227 were female.
Megwa disclosed that because of space constraints, some corps members were assigned to Lagos, 236 were deployed to Oyo State while 310 were sent to Osun State.
He used the opportunity to appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to commence the construction of the state orientation camp.
The NYSC coordinator acknowledged that the carrying capacity of the various orientation camps is small, adding that ‘with the Trust Fund, the orientation camps will take about 5,000 corps members and also provide for skill acquisition centres in each state.’
He commended the Federal Government and Lagos State for supporting the NYSC to achieve the objectives of why the scheme was established 48 years ago.
The state coordinator also acknowledged the support of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) which enabled the NYSC to mobilise corps members during the COVID-19 pandemic and even now.
Like Justice Oshoala, who charged the 2,245 corps members to adhere to the rules and regulations, Megwa also warned them to abide by the Oath they took.
Megwa congratulated the corps members for successfully completing their academic programmes and being mobilised to serve their father’s land.
Justice Oshoala, in administering the Oath on the 2,245 corps members, urged them to obey the rules and put in their best in the course of serving the nation.