Water Shortage: NYSC Frets over Health Risks at Kano Orientation Camp 

Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

The Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, raised alarm on the health risks arising from inadequate water supply at the Kano State orientation camp.

Nafiu stated this while appealing to the Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, in his office in Kano.

A press statement issued by the scheme on Saturday and signed by the Director, Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Caroline Embu, said, “The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has appealed to the Kano State Government to help address the inadequate water supply at its permanent Orientation Camp located in Karaye town.

“The Director-General (DG) of the Scheme, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, made the plea during a visit to the state governor, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf at the Government House, Kano.

“He pointed out that inadequate water supply was not only a hindrance to the smooth running of the Camp activities, but also a potential health risk.

“Nafiu also urged the governor to facilitate the expansion of the Camp’s multi-purpose hall, saying its current capacity was grossly inadequate, and not conducive for the conduct of orientation lectures and other indoor activities organized for Corps Members.

“The DG, who informed that the NYSC Act saddled the three tiers of government with specified responsibilities, further called for constitution of the NYSC State Governing Board and Local Government Committees in Kano State for ease of the scheme’s administration.

“He informed his host that there were over 12,000 Corps Members serving across the 44 Local Government Areas of the state, adding that 75% of them were posted to public schools as teachers.

“We also have Corps medical personnel, including 102 doctors, 79 pharmacists, and 90 nurses serving in public medical facilities in this state,” he said.

“The DG used the occasion of the visit to thank the State Government for supporting the NYSC through various gestures, including augmentation of Corps members’ feeding on camp, renovation of camp hostels, defraying of expenses for burial of deceased Corps members and the recent facilitation of the overhaul of its state secretariat’s utility vehicle.”

According to the statement, while responding, Governor Yusuf expressed appreciation of the contributions of Corps members to the socio-economic development of Kano State, saying the state was ready to absorb more of the youths on national service and ensure their safety.

“He pledged to dispatch a team of experts to assess the level of work required for the overall upgrade of the orientation camp with a view to commencing its renovation as soon as feasible,” the statement added.