National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management has insisted on mandatory COVID-19 RDT tests for all Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) and every other participant in the 2022 Batch ‘A’ Orientation Exercise before being admitted to the camps.
Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Scheme’s Director-General, who gave the marching order, stressed that only those who tested negative would be allowed entry into the camps.
Speaking during a live joint webinar by NYSC/NCDC organised ahead of the 2022 Batch ‘A’ PCMs, the DG disclosed that those that test positive to COVID-19 would be handed over to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and State Ministry of Health Officials for treatment.
General lbrahim further disclosed that the collaboration with NCDC has yielded good results, confirming that since the partnership started, no casualty has been recorded in any of the Scheme’s Orientation Camps across the country.
He lauded the federal government, Presidential Committee on COVID-19 and the NCDC for their support for the Scheme, especially in the conduct of hitch-free Orientation Camps since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
Ibrahim further advised the PCMs to be security conscious, avoid night journeys, while also counselling them to break any journey that would extend beyond 6:00pm.
“You can pass the night in any NYSC Orientation camp, NYSC Secretariats, Corps Members’ Lodge, Military and security formations. I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity because NYSC is a platform for those that are serious. Posting and other services in NYSC are free, don’t give bribe for posting,” he said.
The DG also stated that Call-up letters for the 2022 Batch ‘A’ Orientation Exercise would be ready on Sunday February 20, 2022.
In her submission, the NCDC/NYSC Project Lead for Safe Camp Reopening, Dr Ladun Okunromade, assured that adequate preparations have been put in place for the safe conduct of the 2022 Batch ‘A’ Orientation Exercise.
She said different variants of COVID-19 are ravaging the world, while Nigeria has recorded over 1,300 cases of Lassa Fever with 46 deaths and 20 healthcare workers infected.
Okunromade advised the PCMs and other camp participants to come to camp with facemasks, hand sanitisers; obey physical distancing, maintain personal hygiene and also adhere to all COVID-19 safety guidelines.
The NCDC Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa in his address said “there will be facilities for vaccination in the camp for those that will take either the first or second dose or third jabs and they to sight their vaccination cards”.
He urged all camp participants to come to the Orientation camps with their vaccination cards, emphasising that; “this is the 7th edition of safe Camp Re-opening Webinar. We will continue to work hard to facilitate the safe re-opening for all camp participants.
“The virus is still with us and we must continue to take both personal and collective responsibility to ensure our safety,” he stated.
Also during the webinar, Corps member Ajilese Aliyu Adebayo FC/21C/0113 commended the NYSC management for the safety measures put in place during his Orientation course at the NYSC FCT Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja.