SHOKPEKA VISITS ECC, SEEKS CONTINUED ARMY COLLABORATION FOR THE SCHEME

The NYSC Osun State Co-ordinator, Mrs. Winifred Ngozi Shokpeka has solicited the continued support of the Nigerian Army for the scheme in the State. 

She made the call when she paid a courtesy visit along with principal officers of the Scheme on the Ag. Commander of the Engineer Construction Command, Ede, Lt. Col I. O. Erhabor, on Thursday.

Mrs Shokpeka appreciated the military for their support for the scheme. She stated that after taking over as the 13th chief executive it behoves her to meet with critical stakeholders of the Scheme of which the military is first. 

She appreciated the command for the covering provided for corps members especially during elections in the State and solicited for more support. 

"Our corps members need more of the army's support in the form of covering during elections, information on flash points, and rising to security challenges as the situation warrants, " she said.

She further decried notions making round that the NYSC isn't doing anything to prep corps members, highlighting that several pre-NYSC Orientation sensitization now take place in universities to make the youths more receptive to the orientation course which is the core of the Scheme where the ideals of the NYSC are internalised.

Shokpeka asserted that there is an urgent need for the larger society to collectively push the message of excellence to the upcoming generation, appealing to relevant stakeholders to take charge. She called on the larger society to hype and reward  excellence accordingly. She cited examples of excellent students and graduates being rewarded poorly and those promoting immorality being rewarded handsomely by same society. 

In his response, the Colonel appreciated that their barracks was the first point of call for the newly-appointed State Coordinator showing how valuable they are deemed to the scheme, and further pledged to replicate the wonderful gesture by granting Mrs. Shokpeka's requests. 

"The Army and the NYSC are an inseparable duo and we'll try as much as we can to synergize with you to ensure continual success of the youth scheme. All we ask in return is that you keep us reliably informed of developments and areas in need of our support, " he said. 

The acting commander, who was the Camp Commandant for the 2007 Batch C set, agreed that there is a need to train youths in order to prepare and toughen them for the demanding conditions that lies ahead of them. 

An highlight of the visit was a tour of the premises to check out a personal CDS project initiated and completed by corps member, Dr. Ememobong Bassey Udoh who constructed an Outpatient Department for the MRS and remodeled the office of the Regimental Medical Officer at the Engineer Construction Command Medical Reception Station. 

Dr. Emem outlined her motivation for undertaking the project as being the need to provide a  waiting place for patients and an entirely-new out-patient section/ward. 

The visit ended with group photographs of the State Coordinator, the Ag. Commander, Principal NYSC Osun State officials, and senior army officers present.