Gov. Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to rehabilitating and expanding the state’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) permanent orientation camp.

Mr Zulum made the pledge on Saturday while receiving the director-general of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, and his management team at the Government House in Maiduguri.

The governor assured that the state government would accelerate construction efforts to provide a standard permanent camp for corps members in Borno.

The governor emphasised the urgency of relocating to a permanent camp, citing the need to expand accommodation and ensure corps members’ comfort and security.

“The Deputy Chief of Staff and Chairman of the NYSC Governing Board should immediately commence plans for constructing the permanent site.

“The scheme is operating within a school, and soon, the management may need the space back. The earlier we start, the better,” Mr Zulum stated.

The governor commended the invaluable contributions of corps members, particularly those in the medical field, who had been instrumental in supporting healthcare delivery across the state.

He further stressed the need for graduates in science-related disciplines such as physics, mathematics, and English to strengthen STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in Borno’s secondary schools.

In his remarks, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, expressed gratitude to the Borno government for its unwavering support towards the NYSC scheme.

“I must say that corps members are in good hands. The support they are receiving in Borno has been tremendous. This visit allows us to express our sincere gratitude to His Excellency for his immense contributions,” he said.

The NYSC boss listed key interventions by the state government, including special allowances for medical and other corps members, regular feeding augmentation, and the provision of vehicles to the NYSC state coordination office.

Mr Ahmed also encouraged corps members to remain in Borno after their service year and contribute to the state’s development and recovery efforts.

The NYSC state coordinator, Mohammed Jiya, informed the governor that 991 corps members from the 2024 Batch C Stream 2 are currently undergoing orientation in Borno.

(NAN)