National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps in Kwara and Plateau states have suspended the ongoing orientation programme.
This is following a directive from the federal government ordering that all NYSC orientation camps to be shut down on Wednesday.
POLITICS NIGERIA reported the order which was owing to the upsurge of Coronavirus in the country.
However, it was gathered that the course for corps members taking place at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Edu Local Government of Kwara has been put on hold
NYSC Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Kwara, Oladipo Morakinyo, disclosed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Wednesday.
He said there was a circular to that effect from the National Headquarters of the Scheme in Abuja.
NAN reports that the circular with the title: “Important announcement: Suspension of the ongoing Orientation Course”,
directed the state coordinator to suspend the orientation course.
The circular reads; “Sequel to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic which led to the cancellation of the National Sports Festival, Management of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme wishes to announce the suspension of the ongoing Orientation course for the 2020 Batch ” A” Stream 1 Corps Members.
“Therefore, the Corps Members shall be posted to commence their primary assignments forthwith.
“They shall be invited back to the Orientation camps when the situation improves, just like it happened a few years ago when the Nation was confronted by the Ebola virus threat.
Morakinyo, however, told NAN on phone that posting letters were issued to the 2,100 corps members taking part in the orientation course.
Also, the Head Public Relations Unit of the corps in Plateau state, Ms Jennifer Laha, noted that the camps in Jos have followed suit.
“We have suspended all camp activities and we have informed the corps members of the Federal Government’s decision which is a precautionary measure to avoid gathering of people in large numbers.
“We were directed to post them to their places of primary assignment.
“We started the posting overnight and as soon as we concluded, the State Coordinator will address them before they disperse,” she disclosed to a NAN reporter.
This paper reported how the Nigerian government promised to tighten its surveillance services rather than ban visitors from China, Italy, U.S and other countries with a high percentage of confirmed cases.
Coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19 has dealt a blow on the world economy and international engagements. Although Nigeria recorded the first COVID-19 case on February 24, a returnee from the United Kingdom tested positive on Tuesday.
