Safety of corps members paramount,non-negotiable —NYSC DG

Corps members need to be alive, strong and healthy before they can contribute effectively to national unity and economic development in the country.The Director-General of the National YouthService Corps(NYSC),Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, who disclosed this recently added that “safety of corps members is paramount to us at NYSC and is non-negotiable.”Brigadier-General Olawumi spoke at the weekend, after a visit to Mr Oluwagbenga Babatunde, currently on admission at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City Edo State, arising from an auto accident while on his way to the orientation camp.Speaking with journalists on the incident the NYSC DG said: “We will continue to do everything to keep corps members safe and secure and we will also continue to respond promptly to anyone of them who is in distress in any form.”He stated further that the national service should not be at the expense of the well-being, safety and lives of corps members, adding that: “While national service is important, the lives of corps members are much more important,” just as he said,” In fact, it is only those who are safe, healthy and alive that can serve the country effectively.”While in Benin, as part of his tour of NYSC orientation camps for 2014 Batch C, which opened on November 4, the DG learned about the case of Mr Babatunde, who was involved in an auto crash with five other corps members on their way to NYSC orientation camp in Bayelsa State.Brigadier - Genaral Olawuni said: “I decided to come here personally to wish him quick recovery, to show that the country places a lot of value on the security and the lives of these young people, and to show that we appreciate theenormous sacrifice and contributions they are making for and to the country.“The least we can do is to continue to ensure their safety at all times. And we will continue to do that in different ways, including enhanced security in the orientation camps, in the NYSC lodges andtheir places of primary assignments, during special assignments such as the conduct of elections, and through prompt response to those in distress using the instrumentality of our upgraded distress call centre.”The NYSC DG directed prompt payment of Babatunde’s hospital bills and promised togrant his redeployment request to allow forhis full recuperation after surgery, and gave financial support to the mother of thevictim, who travelled from Ibadan to Benin to attend to her son at the hospital.In a related development, Bauchi State governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, ahead the forthcoming 2015 general election, has tasked serving corps members in the stateon good conduct and diligence.He gave the charge in Bauchi, at the formalopening of orientation/swearing-in ceremony of the 2014 Batch ‘C’ orientationcourse.While addressing corps members deployed to the state, Yuguda who spoke through the Head of Service Bauchi state, Mr Abdon D. Gin, reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring credible, free and fair elections.