…Says No Corps Members, Test Positive

… No camp is shut-down

Joel Ajayi

National Youth Service Corps NYSC, has stated that no corps members, NYSC officials or collaborative agencies can enter any orientation camp across the 36 states and FCT without proper COVID-19 test being conducted by the National Center For Diseases Control, NCDC.

To this end, the Scheme repeated that, there is no Corps Members in any camp that is tested positive of COVID-19.

It will be recalled that false news emanated from the Daily Trust newspaper, which reported a mischievous “Red Alert: NYSC camps on red alert as 109 test positive for COVID-19.”

The Scheme has, in totality, debunked the story and said nobody goes to any NYSC orientation camps without COVID-19 test with NCDC officials in charge.

Speaking on Wednesday at the Scheme’s headquarters in Abuja, the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, said since outbreak of Covid-19, NYSC has conducted five orientation exercises and till now, not one single person has been confirmed positive in the camp.

She expressed that, having a report with a caption, saying “109 corps members tested positive nationwide” is very misleading saying, there is no red alert in NYSC Orientation Camps, it’s very far from the truth.

“All the Corps Members within the 36 states and FCT, the camps officials, collaborative agencies are all confirmed negative before they enter into the camps.

“COVID-19 in Nigeria started last year, we are very much aware that the camps were closed.  We did not resume orientation until November, 2020, but between last year and now this is about the fifth orientation exercises the NYSC is conducting with different batches and streams.

“And all through this times, not one person was confirmed having COVID-19 within the camps premises and this is because a lot of work has gone into preparations before any orientation.

“NYSC has been working hard to ensure the safety and welfare of corps members when they come to camps, particularly during the 3 weeks orientation camps.

It’s not possible, in view of what NYSC has put in place and the collaboration with NCDC, to have a positive case within the NYSC camps.

She added that, “Everyone coming into camp is tested at the gate; you don’t enter into any camp without the COVID-19 test conducted by NCDC officials  and only those whose results are confirmed negative are granted entry into camp, including the staff, camps officials, members of collaborative agencies and the entire camp communities.

“This gives us a difference between prospective corps members and corps members. When you have a call up letter, you are a prospective corps member, but only those confirmed negative after the test enter into the camp and when their papers are checked properly  and have a clean bill then, will be registered as well as take  the oath of national service, that is when they become corps members.

“So, anyone tested at the gate is a prospective corps member, peradventure the test came out positive, NCDC takes over immediately so, they don’t mix with those who are in the camp.”

However, Mrs Adeyemi urged Fourth Estate of the Realm to be very careful of information that is capable of misleading the general public.

She assured that NYSC will continue to work with NCDC and the Presidential steering committee for the wellbeing of all Corps Members.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Share

Share

Share

Share

Share