NAN
Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has promised `special protection ` for corps members that would be deployed in the state for the 2019 general elections.
Ugwuanyi made the promise on Monday during the closing ceremony of 2018 Batch ‘C’ Stream One National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation course at the Awgu orientation camp.
“You are going to participate in the conduct of the 2019 general elections. Your predecessors did the nation proud in performing similar assignments in the past.
“I want to assure you that the state government will provide adequate protection to all of you that will be engaged in this exercise and also ensure a peaceful election in the state,” he said.
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The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Sports, Mr Josef Udedi, said it was obvious that corps members would be assigned sensitive and challenging responsibilities in rural and urban communities.
He, therefore, said it was incumbent on the government and all stakeholders to ensure that corps members deployed for such tasks were provided adequate security.
The governor said that their predecessors discharged such duties creditably, adding that similar level of patriotism was expected from them.
The governor described the NYSC camp as a miniature Nigeria and a veritable platform for engendering national unity and integration.
“It is my belief that your initial fears, apprehension and prejudices must have started giving way to a better understanding of the diverse cultures and traditions of our great country,” he said.
Ugwuanyi appealed to residents of the state, corps employers and communities to extend the hospitality the state is known for to the corps members.
“I urge all employers to endeavour to assign work schedule to the corps members and supervise them properly in order to get the best out of them,” Ugwuanyi said.
Earlier, the NYSC State Coordinator, Alhaji Ahmed Ikaka, appealed to the corps members to respect the culture and traditions of the communities where they would be posted to.
“I urge you to identify areas of need in your host communities and endeavour to solve them through involvement in both individual and group community development projects.
“You should also mobilise members of your host community to overcome such challenges,” he said.
The state coordinator commended the state for its efforts in improving the state of infrastructure in the orientation camp.
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“We are immensely grateful to the governor for supplementing the transportation cost of corps members.
“We are equally optimistic that government will expedite action on the restoration of electricity in the camp which is near completion ,” he said.
Ikaka also reminded the state government of its pledge of a utility vehicle, which would make the monitoring of corps members in the state easier.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 13 pregnant and nursing mothers participated in the orientation course in the state.