NYSC urges corps member employers to provide conducive workplace

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The Acting Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Christy Uba, has appealed to corps employers to make their workplace a smooth operating environment for corps members posted to them to serve the nation better.

Uba said this during the 2022 Corps Employers’ workshop with the theme; “Overcoming the Challenges of Corps Administration at the Grassroots: The Role of Corps Employers” in Uyo.

Uba, who was represented by the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator, Mrs Chinyere Ekwe, said to reposition the scheme for greater impact, it was necessary to take an evaluation of the managers and corps employers, who manage corps members at the grassroots.

According to her, the workshop was an avenue for the exchange of ideas on the improvement of the scheme operations across the country.

She said the corps employers were expected to make some statutory welfare provisions for the corps members posted to them.

“There is no doubt that since its inception in 1973, the NYSC Scheme has been at the vanguard of efforts geared towards the development of our people especially those who live in our rural communities.

“Stakeholders at different fora have always commented glowingly about the scheme’s achievements in the areas of education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, rural infrastructure, election processes, science and technology amongst others.

“May, I remind us today that as critical stakeholders of the scheme and foster parents to the Corps Members, Corps Employers are saddled with very important responsibilities, especially in the provision of facilities that are essential to the welfare of the corps members.

“It is important to note that while NYSC deploys corp members to various communities and establishments, the level and success of their performance will largely depend on the operating environment,” Uba said.

The acting director general said the workshop became necessary to discuss corps welfare issues as a prerequisite for effective service delivery and optimal productivity required from the corps members.

She added that the engagement of the critical stakeholders would help in strategizing ways for the effective utilisation of corps members for the benefit of the host communities.

Uba urged corps employers to encourage corps members towards accessing quality post-camp training to enable them to actualise their business dreams.

Prof. Aniekan Offiong in his paper entitled; “Emerging Challenges of Corps Administration: The Corps Employers Perspective, said that most corps members display negative attitudes in the workplace.

Offiong, who is of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Uyo highlights most of the challenges confronting corps employers to include; total abscondment, absenteeism, unapproved journeys, nonchalant attitude to work and disrespect to constituted authority at the workplace, amongst others.