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National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is set to conclude the 2020 Batch A Stream I Orientation Course which was suspended, following the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in the country.
The completion of the orientation program will begin as soon as an approval is given by the Federal Government COVID-19 management team; the Presidential Task Force (PTF).
The NYSC had, on March 18, suspended the orientation course for its Batch A stream I corps members and shut its camp nationwide as a proactive measure to prevent the outbreak of the virus in the country.
During a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, in Abuja on Tuesday, NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim said conscious of the possibility of the further or complete lifting of lockdown, the strategies mapped out by the NYSC Management had taken care of various scenarios, and would be presented to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 through the NCDC for guidance.
Ibrahim said other operations of the scheme were scaled down in line with the Federal Government’s restrictions order, making reference to the passing-out of the 2019 Batch ‘B’ Stream I corps members, which was low-keyed with full adherence to the COVID-19 prevention protocols.
He also revealed to the NCDC DG, the many COVID-19 interventions made by NYSC, especially through corps members’ activities all over the country, including sensitization; production and distribution of face masks, liquid soaps, hand sanitizers, automated disinfection chambers; as well as automated and foot-operated liquid soap, hand sanitizer and water dispenser.
While commending the health agency for its role in the overall national efforts at containing the COVID-19, the NYSC DG sought the PTF’s support in the funding of mass production of the automated disinfection chambers for use in all the NYSC Orientation Camps
On his part, Ihekweazu also commended the NYSC for its support to the fight against the pandemic through corps members’ activities and expressed delight at the fabrication of handwashing machines and production of disinfectants amongst other interventions.
Having hailed the contributions of the scheme to the unity and development of the country, he stressed that it deserved every form of support to enable it to succeed.
The NCDC DG further stated that the proposals presented by the NYSC DG would be studied and recommendations made to the appropriate authorities.