The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim has urged corps employers to pay adequate attention to the security of corps members posted to them.

Shuaibu made the call on Wednesday during the 2021 NYSC management and corps employers workshop with the theme: “Optimising the NYSC Employers Partnership in the Context of the New Normal for National Development”.

The director-general who was represented by the Deputy Director of Human Resources and Training, NYSC North-Central Area Office, Mr. Abdulsalam Alhassan, said that the NYSC management placed a high premium on the security of the lives and property of corps members throughout their service year.

He said it was therefore pertinent that corps employers equally paid particular attention to the security of corps members posted to their organizations.

“Given the fact that they are new in the environment, you are enjoined to effectively guide them on safety,” he said.

Shuaibu cautioned that the NYSC would apply appropriate sanctions against corps employers and others found to be aiding and abetting absenteeism and abscondment of corps members from service.

They said that corps employers had no authority to approve leave or movement of corps members outside their States of deployment.

He noted that the corps employers could only endorse their applications for leave or travel permits to the NYSC state Coordinator.

The director-general appealed to all corps employers, 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 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,” he said.

According to him, these will be veritable sources of motivation for the corps members and would go a long way in engendering productivity.

Shuaibu enjoined the employers to apply appropriate sanctions against corps members when they erred, as well as report details of wrongdoing and actions are taken to the Scheme.

The director-general who declared the workshop open said the aim of the programme was to create an avenue for the exchange of ideas on the improvement of their operations, especially through the provision of enabling environment for corps members to render qualitative and efficient services.

GBV: BUK launches protection policy

In his response, the representative of the corps employers, Mr Matthew Dakwat, said that corps employers would prioritise the security of corps members deployed to them.

The workshop was attended by various corps employers in the state.