-Warns them against aiding absenteeism, abscondment of corps members
BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
The DG, represented by Mr Aluyor Moses Oskihucheme - the Deputy Director (Operations), NYSC South East Area Office, Enugu, made this known during the occasion of the 2021 Corps Employers' Workshop at Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State Capital.
He added that the scheme has also been carrying out advocacy for states and local governments to provide transit campus and corps lodges in all the 774 local government areas in the country.
"We expect employers to also join in this advocacy and, where you have provisions for corporate social responsibility, always endeavour to assist in the provision, maintenance or upgrade of the aforementioned facilities," he urged.
The DG further said that "before the commencement of the orientation course, corps employers are expected to submit requests for corps members stating the number, discipline and other specification that would assist the scheme in carrying out positings to places of primary assignment."
He reminded the corps employers of 'a subsisting circular from the Federal government, which prohibits rejection of corps members by government's Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs)' and however, appealed to them, 'especially government establishments, to make adequate budgetary provisions for the welfare of corps members rather than rejecting them.'
"In the course of the primary assignment, which is the second phase of the service, employers are expected to make some statutory welfare provisions for the corps members.
"These include transportation from camp, reception/induction on arrival at the service location, accommodation with modest furnishing, transport to and from office or a reasonable amount of money in-lieu of same as well as free medical services and local allowances, among others.
"No doubt these will be veritable sources of motivation for the corps members, and will go a long way to engender productivity.
"The employers are expected to apply appropriate sanctions against corps members when they err as well as report details of wrongdoing and actions taken to the scheme," Ibrahim added.
He stated that the corps employers have no authority to approve leave or movement of the corps members outside their state of deployment, but only allowed to endorse their applications to the state coordinator, and noted that the DG has authority to approve travels outside the country.
Prof Ibrahim asked the corps employers to always issue monthly clearance letter to corps members, who have worked and so, entitled to be paid the Federal allowance, warning them against aiding absenteeism and abscondment.
"Let me use this opportunity to warn that the scheme will apply appropriate sanctions against the corps employers and others found to be aiding and abetting absenteeism and abscondment of corps members from service," he warned.
Ibrahim equally appealed to the corps employers to be assisting the corps members in the provision of resources and in mobilization of support from members of the public towards execution of projects for the benefit of the host communities, urging them to always demonstrate appreciation of their services by providing them with permanent employment irrespective of their states of origin after winding up exercise.
The DG said that corps members were always availed of opportunities through Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) training in the orientation camps, encouraged the corps employers as the NYSC, in his words, works with relevant stakeholders including financial institutions, to support corps members towards accessing quality post-camp trainings to enable them actualize their business dreams, and also to be placing high premium on their security of their lives and property in their areas of service.
Earlier in her speech, the NYSC State Coordinator, Mrs Bamai Mercy Dawuda, said the theme of the workshop, "Optimizing the NYSC/Corps Employers Partnership for National Development in the context of the New Normal," was carefully chosen to emphasize on their collective roles towards sustaining the impact of the scheme in the face of the challenges thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mrs Bamai said that the workshop would give the stakeholders opportunity to exchange ideas on ways to improve the service of the NYSC scheme for better service delivery in the state.
According to her, the theme is apt, appropriate and relevant in considering the fact that the scheme under the leadership of Prof Ibrahim has been rebranding towards becoming a first class organisation.
The Coordinator also described Ebonyi as a hospital state but observed that more roles have to be played by the corps employers as part of their sacred obligations to create enabling environment for the serving corps members.
"Most of the corps members serving in Ebonyi State are non indigenes, so they need and deserve a warm hospitality from their host communities to happily discharge their duties," Bamai said.
Recall that the 2021 edition of the corps employers' workshop took place simultaneously in all the 36 states of the Federation including Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
