Corps members are underutilised –DG

[Punch]

Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, Brig.-Gen. Nnamdi Okorie-Affia, has urged employers of corps members to fully use them in their establishments.

The DG spoke at a workshop entitled 'Harnessing the Gains of the Youth Service Corps Scheme through cordial corps employers/corps members relationship', in Benin, Edo State on Tuesday.

 According to him, the underutilisation of corps members has been a major source of the misconduct associated with the participants.

Represented by the Head, Corps Discipline and Reward, Edo State, Mrs. A. Otoakhia, the NYSC boss urged employers to assign duties and responsibilities to corps members in their employ, "to avoid idleness and frustration which inactivity can induce in them".

He also urged their employers not to grant them arbitrary permits to leave their duty posts.

He said, "As employers, you are enjoined to note that it is not within your powers to grant corps members any form of leave. You are only to make recommendation to the state coordinator who has the approval power. Many corps members have been involved in accidents of various kinds without our knowledge of their movement.

"The statutory leaves for corps members are wedding, convocation and three weeks terminal leave during winding up/passing out ceremony."

The state NYSC Coordinator, Adebayo Somefun, called for mutual relationship between corps members and their employers.

The Punch