Corps members not aware of NYSC redeployment order

NYSC Director-General, Brig. General Nnamdi Okore-Affia
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Only a handful of prospective corps members posted to Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau states have so far responded to the directive by the National Youth Service Corps to report to the headquarters for redeployment.

As at 3.48pm on Thursday when our correspondent left the directorate headquarters, less than 30 out of the 14,850 corps members have responded.

Our correspondent gathered that the response had been slow because most of the affected corps members were yet to receive the information.

One of the corps members, who gave her name simply as Chioma, a graduate from Imo State, told our correspondent that she hoped to remain in Abuja.

She said, “I was told we will be re-deployed to states outside the North. I don’t know where but I pray to remain in Abuja.”

A notice pasted at strategic points within and outside the NYSC premises said only corps members who were yet to report to camp in the affected states would be entertained.

Two members of staff of the NYSC who were assigned the task of collecting the letters and documenting those who come forward declined comments and referred all enquiries to the Director of Public Relations.

The Director of Public Relations, Mrs. Abosede Aderibigbe, was said to be at a meeting when our correspondent visited her office.

Calls to her mobile phone indicated that it was switched off.

Our correspondent gathered that modalities for the orientation for prospective corps members, who were being redeployed were still being worked out.

A top official of the NYSC, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence said, “It is likely that they do their orientation around the same time with their peers posted to Yobe and Borno states; that is as from July 26 to August 16, 2012.

“The reason is this, there are logistics issues involved.

“They can no longer join those who have been sworn-in in and are already in camp.

“The facilities in most of these camps can simply not take the number.”

Asked whether those being redeployed will be camped in Abuja, the official said it was unlikely because they were being posted to states outside the troubled areas.

He said they were expected to attend orientation camps in their new locations. The official was however non-committal when asked if those posted to Borno and Yobe will proceed to the states after their orientation in Benue and Nassarawa States.

Meanwhile,  there was confusion at the  orientation programme of the NYSC in Jos over the announcement that corps members should be redeployed from crises-prone areas.

The announcement has thrown the camp in Jos, where the corps member had already been inducted, in disarray as majority of them were said to be taking advantage of the announcement to seek redeployment.

When our correspondent visited the orientation camp located at Zang Commercial Secondary School, many of the corps members, who spoke to our correspondent expressed delight at the announcement.

One of the corps members, who simply gave his name as John, said he would not wait to sign the redeployment papers. John, who graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said even though he was, however,glad to be in Jos.

The State Coordinator, Mr. Maram Maful, was not in the office when our corresponding visited the camp on Thursday, but an official of the camp told our correspondent that the report did not reflect the statement issued by the DG.