File copy: Some NYSC members

Alhaji Ahmed Ikaka, the Coordinator of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) for Enugu State, has appealed to the state government for the upgrade of facilities in the orientation camp.

The state coordinator made the appeal on Thursday during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2018 Batch ‘C’ Stream 1 corps members for the state.

He said that the call became necessary since N81 million was provided in the state’s 2018 budget for infrastructure upgrade in the orientation camp.

Ikaka said that the orientation course for the current stream would be conducted in two batches due to inadequate accommodation for the corps members.

“We seek your intervention to reconstruct the largest male hostel, which has the capacity to accommodate 500 corps members to meet the increase in the population of corps members participating in the scheme.

Ikaka said that lack of utility vehicle had hindered the operations of the scheme in the state and appealed to the governor to redeem its pledge of providing two vehicles to the camp.

“We are expected to embark on sensitisation of all corps members in the 17 local government areas of the state from November to prepare them for the 2019 general elections.

“This important national assignment is indeed in jeopardy due to lack of operational vehicles,” he said.

Responding, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said that his administration would continue to provide the enabling environment for the scheme to thrive in the state.

Ugwuanyi said that the ongoing effort at restoring electricity to the camp testified to his administration’s commitment to the welfare of corps members.

“The regular payment of the allowances of corps members serving in state establishments and the upgrade of facilities in the camp testify to our commitment to the corps members’ welfare,” he said.

“I, therefore, urge you to emulate your predecessors by continuing to sustain the achievements of the scheme.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 2,200 corps members participated in the orientation course.