The National youth service corps, NYSC orientation camps would reopen in all states in the country as soon as the federal government gives the go-ahead for the one-year training scheme to restart.
This was made known by the director-general of the NYSC, brigadier general Shuaibu Ibrahim after he met with the Nigerian centre of disease control, NCDC director-general Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu on Tuesday in Abuja.
Brigadier general Ibrahim noted that the orientation camp of the 2020 batch a stream one was halted only a week into camping as a proactive measure to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the camp amongst the corp members and staffs.
He also said that when it is allowed by the Presidential task force (PTF), the scheme would reopen with the completion of the orientation course of the 2020 batch a stream one. The DG pointed out that due to the virus and social distancing measures, the operations being carried out by the NYSC were scaled down in line with directives from the NCDC. The passing out parade of the 2019 batch b stream one was conducted low-key with all social distancing measures observed.
Brigadier general Ibrahim also informed the NYSC DG of the various assistance the corp members had rendered to different communities to help cushion the effect of sufferings as a result of the spread of COVID-19. These assistances range from sensitization of communities, production and distribution of face masks, hand sanitizers, liquid soap, as well as automated mechanisms for their dispensations.
He likewise asked for the funding assistance of the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 for the mass production of an automated disinfection chamber for use in the orientation camps all over the country.
Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu thanked the NYSC for its part in the ongoing fight against the virus, especially for the inventions that are implemented in part of the guidelines of the NYSC for hand washing and use of sanitizers.
He also assured the NYSC DG that the proposals that were put forward would be properly studied and recommended to the authorities responsible.