Mary Donatus (Correspondent, Bauchi)
Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar has enjoined National Youth Service Corps [NYSC] members to engage in inter-ethnic marriages as a way of promoting unity in the country.
Speaking on Thursday during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2017 batch ‘B’ Stream I corps members posted to the state, the governor represented by the head of civil service, Liman Bello, said NYSC has over the years been a major platform for effective utilization of youth’s resources for national development.
”Indeed it has remained a melting pot for harnessing the socio-economic and cultural endowments of our youths thereby enhancing our collective efforts at national integration and development. It is therefore expected that as leaders of tomorrow, you would work hard towards realizing the lofty ideals of the founding fathers of the scheme by breaking language barriers, involving yourselves in inter-ethnic marriages and getting accustomed to the norms,values and traditions of your host communities,” he advised.
He expressed government’s commitment to supporting the scheme and the corps members serving in the state adding that a contract for the construction of a 5000 seater capacity multi-purpose hall at the NYSC orientation camp would soon be awarded by the government with a view to creating an enabling atmosphere for them.
Also speaking,the state NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Afolayan James, explained that a total 2084 corps members out of which 1091 were males and 993 females were deployed in the state.
According to him, NYSC has fashioned out comprehensive and all encompassing training module at the three weeks orientation course which would prepare the corps members adequately for the demands and challenges of the service year.
The NYSC coordinator also appealed to the state government to expedite action to revive the vandalized electricity cables linking the camp to the national grid.