By Saheed Ibrahim

The Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has said that the security of Corps members deployed to the state is paramount to his administration.

The Governor made this statement during the swearing in ceremony for the 2023 Batch ‘C’ (Stream 1) Corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko.

Akeredolu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Otunba Bamidele Ologun, said that the selfless service of the Corps members needed to be appreciated.

He urged the Corps members to take the orientation course seriously in order to have full understanding and the benefits of the mandatory service to their fatherland.

He said that his administration will continue to improve on the developmental projects and infrastructures that will encourage those who observe their mandatory service to remain in the state at the end of their service year.

In her welcome address, the State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani appealed to philanthropists and well-meaning Nigerians to support the government at all levels to develop the orientation camp.

The representative of the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Femi Silvester Akinbinu administered the Oath of Allegiance on over 1,400 new Corps members deployed to the Sunshine State.

Meanwhile, 968 2022 Batch ‘C’ (Stream II) Corps members passed out of the national service in the state and were awarded Certificate of National Service (CNS) on Thursday.

While only two bagged extension of service for acts of misdemeanour, 14 others who were absent consecutively for a period of three months at their places of primary assignment have been declared abscondees and their cases reported to the Directorate Headquarters for appropriate sanctions in line with the NYSC Bye-Law.

In her message, the NYSC Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Ani has charged the outgoing members of the corps to press harder and forge ahead whenever life places challenges at them.

Ani said that the zeal with which they served the nation had earned them a place in the National Youth Service Corps Hall of Fame.

Mrs. Ani who is confident about the abilities of the outgoing corps members, said that the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme they have been exposed to during the orientation course as well as post-camp training will no doubt make them potential fledging industrialists.