Umahi gives NYSC N400m

Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has given N400 million to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the renovation of its Orientation Camp in Afikpko North Local Government Area.

This is separate from the N5,000 travel allowance given to each of the 2,200 Batch B Stream I Corps Members who ended their orientation course yesterday.

The governor made the donation also gave the corps members who took part in the parade another N2 million and various cash sums to NYSC officials and military officers who trained the corps members.

Umahi urged the corps member not to allow themselves be used by politicians to thwart the country’s democracy.

He said: “I am sure you were motivated and sensitised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on your participation in the 2019 elections.

“Your participation in that important assignment is a rare opportunity for you to contribute your quota towards enthroning credible leadership, good governance and engender peaceful and prosperous country.

“I, therefore, urge you to discharge the INEC assignment with utmost sense of responsibility and good conscience by not allowing yourselves be manipulated by desperate and unscrupulous politicians.

“Do not give in to their antics, desperation and lure of cash or kind, especially when you have to consider that posterity will judge you for the role you will play, either positively or negatively, during the elections.”

The governor said the N400 million will be used to rebuild the road leading to the camp, renovate dilapidated structures, dredge a drainage, regrass the camp’s parade ground, connect the camp to the national grid, provide solar street lights etc.

State NYSC Coordinator Ann Ngozika Ibe said the corps members were posted to all the local government areas except Ishielu.

“This decision is an aftermath of the 2008 Ezillk/Ezza-Ezillo communal crisis. We remain open-minded to post corps members to Ishielu council as soon as we receive government approval and clearance from relevant security agencies via the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, to do so,” she said.