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| Brig-General Ibrahim |
Opening
and Keynote Addresses by DG NYSC, Brig-General S. Ibrahim, at the 2019 Batch
‘B’ Pre-Orientation Course Workshop held
at the Event Centre, CBD, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State on June 10, 2019.
WELCOME ADDRESS
Protocol
It
is my pleasure to formally welcome all our distinguished guests and
participants to the opening ceremony of the 2019 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Orientation
Workshop taking place here in Lagos. I am particularly delighted to welcome the
Special Guest of Honour and Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Babajide
Olusola Sanwo-Olu. Your Excellency, I thank you most profoundly for making out
time to be with us at this ceremony having just been sworn into office. Let me
also on behalf of the NYSC family, congratulate you on your well deserved
election as the Governor of Lagos State.
We wish you a very successful tenure of office.
Your
Excellency, distinguished ladies and
gentlemen, the Pre-Orientation Workshop is a forum for NYSC managers and our
collaborating partners to review previous Orientation courses with a view to
tackling identified challenges and mapping out new strategies for the
successful conduct of the forthcoming one.
The choice of the theme of this workshop, “Reinvigorating the NYSC Orientation
Course for a Successful Service Year” is informed by our desire to sustain
proper induction and preparation of eligible graduates for dedicated and
hitch-free service to our fatherland.
I
am pleased to inform you that the Scheme is
working tirelessly towards the successful conduct of the 2019 Batch ‘B’
Orientation Course nationwide. This forum will, therefore, help to fine-tune
our arrangements and policy guidelines for the successful execution of the
course by all stakeholders.
May
I at this point acknowledge the remarkable
contributions of Lagos State Government towards the success of NYSC in the State.
In particular, we appreciate the comprehensive renovation of the Orientation
Camp, augmentation of feeding of Corps members during Orientation course,
support during Winding-up/Passing-out programmes, conferment of honours awards
to deserving Corps members and the provision of security. We also appreciate
the allocation of land for the construction of a permanent Orientation camp,
hoping that work on the facility will commence and be completed in no distant
time. Furthermore, the partnership of Lagos State Employment Trust Fund with
NYSC aimed at providing start-up business capital for Corps members who had
undergone the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development training is a
welcome development.
Permit
me to use this forum to remind stakeholders that NYSC Act put the
responsibility of the provision and maintenance of Orientation camps on the
State Governments. This reminder has become necessary in view of the current
dilapidated condition of many Orientation camps and the inadequate facilities
in others across the country. Therefore, I wish to renew our appeals to State
Governments to rise to the occasion by providing permanent
camps and upgrading facilities as necessary.
At
this juncture, I wish to express our profound gratitude to the Federal and
State Governments for the provision of funds and other necessary facilities for
the smooth operations of the Scheme.
These
have largely accounted for the numerous
achievements recorded over the years.
Once
again, I sincerely appreciate His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State,
other key government functionaries, our Royal fathers, distinguished guests,
ladies and gentlemen, for honouring our invitation.
Thank
you and God bless.
………………………………………………
KEYNOTE
ADDRESS
Protocol
I am delighted
to welcome all participants to the business session of the 2019 batch ‘B’
Pre-Orientation Workshop. Although the 2018 Batch ‘A’ Orientation course took
place before my assumption of duty, I received reports on your impressive
performance during the exercise. I therefore, commend you for a job well done
and encourage you not to rest on your oars as we approach the 2019 Batch ‘B’
edition.
Ladies
and gentlemen, as you are all aware, the workshop is primarily convened for
NYSC and our collaborating partners to rub minds and map out strategies for the
successful conduct of the forthcoming exercise. In this regard you are expected
to fully implement all decisions taken at this workshop in order to achieve
efficiency in the conduct of the exercise nationwide.
The
theme of the workshop, “Reinvigorating
the NYSC Orientation Course for a Successful Service Year” was chosen to
emphasise our expectation of providing conducive operating environment in all
states. This, we hope, will redirect greater attention to the welfare and
security of Corps members during and after the Orientation course.
You
will recall that on assumption of
office, I unveiled my agenda for the Scheme as follows:
§ Sustain effective utilisation of the
potentials of Corps members for optimal benefit;
§ Pursue a technologically-driven
organisation to deepen effective service delivery;
§ Improve on the welfare and security of
Corps members and staff;
§ Strengthening existing collaboration with
stakeholders and
§ Reinvigorate the NYSC Ventures and Skill
Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (SAED) in line with the
NYSC Act for Greater Impact.
Therefore,
I expect Managers of the Scheme at all levels to strive to make sure that the
2019 Batch ‘B’ Orientation course reflects this focus.
In
spite of the Scheme’s modest efforts in recent
times, much more needs to be done to operate optimally, especially in the face
of rising Corps population and current economic realities. Accordingly, the review of the report on the
2019 Batch ‘A’ Orientation Course
highlights the following issues requiring attention.
Dilapidated
condition of orientation camps
We
shall continue discussion on the dilapidated condition of facilities in our
Orientation Camps with at least 5000 capacity in each State and the FCT. To
this end, Coordinators of states with
temporary camps and those with dilapidated facilities are to step up persuasion
of their host State Governments to provide permanent camps or to renovate/upgrade
them as applicable. The outcomes of your effort in this regard will be one of
the yardsticks for measuring your performance. While management will continue
its engagement with the concerned State Governments on this matter, we shall
continue to make interventions where necessary. It is also expected that this
workshop will come up with ideas on sustainable ways of attracting the support
of non-governmental organisations in the provision of Orientation camp infrastructure
and for other programmes of the Scheme.
Security
Given
the security challenges in parts of the country, it behoves us to take
proactive measures to ensure that all our camps and Corps members are safe. Accordingly, the security arrangements in the
camps should not only be sustained but improved upon. Before the commencement
of every Orientation course, state Coordinators should liaise with the
appropriate security agencies to assess the security situation in our camp
locations. This will enable us address any identified challenge before the
takeoff of the exercise.
SAED
Training
It
is almost seven years now since the takeoff of the Skill Acquisition and
Entrepreneurship Development training in the Orientation camps. While the
Scheme has recorded tremendous success in the programme, we need to consolidate
on the gains made. The in-camp and post-camp trainings should be appraised with
a view to strengthening them. We also
need feedback from Corps members on the relevance of the Scheme and the quality
of training which will form the basis of our plan for the next level of the
programme.
Camp
Clinics
The
collaboration of the Scheme with the Federal Ministry of Health has no doubt
improved healthcare delivery in the camps. I urge state Coordinators to ensure
that medical personnel from the Federal Ministry of Health man the camp clinics
24 hours as directed by Mr President. You are also to provide them with
accommodation so as to encourage them to be resident on camp throughout the
exercise. I wish to warn that in line with our existing policy, State
Coordinators will be held accountable for the death of any Corps member on
account of negligence.
Team
Work
In
order to make the Orientation course very effective, teamwork is necessary. I
therefore, implore you to emphasise the Scheme’s success above individual
victories. As leaders, you are to build inner team communication and encourage
innovation thereby building stronger teams that will achieve better results in
camp administration.
Vandalisation
of Camp Facilities
Management
has also noted with great concern the high rate of vandalism and fire outbreaks
resulting in the destruction of facilities at the Orientation camps. In most
cases, while the fire is attributed to electrical faults, vandalisation of the
facilities is blamed on some personnel of the security companies assigned to
protect the camps. Accordingly, state Coordinators are to ensure that at the
close of Orientation course all electrical wiring and fittings are disconnected
from the power sources. Furthermore,
activities of personnel of security companies assigned to secure the camps
should be closely monitored. In addition, you are to ensure that only NYSC
personnel with higher integrity are appointed Camp Managers.
Ladies
and gentlemen, in order to achieve a
smooth execution of the forthcoming Orientation course, all State/FCT
Coordinators are to ensure strict compliance with following:
§ Camps must be prepared and ready for the
exercise five days before the commencement date;
§ Camp environment must be clean and free
of bushes/grown grasses and cobwebs in
hostels and toilets;
§ Pre-Orientation meeting with
collaborating agencies must take place
before the Orientation course;
§ All Camp officials must work
harmoniously as a team;
§ Good reception for prospective Corps
members must be organised by Camp officials;
§ The approved number of casual hands for
the servicing of toilets must be on standby at the rest room at all times;
§ All hostels must have well fitted fans;
§ Briefing of Corps members by State
Coordinators should hold before the swearing ceremony while debriefing should
be conducted before the closing ceremony;
§ Quality and quantity of meals served
Corps members must be of acceptable standards and food menu must also be
complied with.
I enjoin you to execute all the
above directives diligently and without compromise.
As we discuss strategies for the
smooth conduct of the forthcoming 2019 Batch ‘B’ Orientation course, I wish us
fruitful and rewarding deliberations.
Thank you and God bless.
Culled from Selected
Speeches and Strides of the 18th NYSC Director-General, Brig-General S. Ibrahim
DSS PhD MTRCN
Senseman Publishers’
comment:
The Nasarawa State-born General believes
in cleanliness which is next to godliness. Such belief also encompasses
punctuality, teamwork and best practices in the Scheme. He instructed that Corps
members’ feeding must be adhered to specifications and a laxity in corps
members’ safety would be traceable to State Coordinators.
Next……………
Address by the
Director-General, NYSC, Brig-General S. Ibrahim DSS PhD MTRCN at the JAMB
policy meeting with Vice-Chancellors, Rectors and Registrars of Corps Producing
Institutions held at Gbongan, Osun State, on June 11, 2019.