The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Edo State began its 2025 Batch C Orientation Course with a total of 1,422 corps members taking the oath, comprising 689 men and 733 women. The pledge ceremony featured Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, who attended on behalf of the judiciary and administered the oaths to the new recruits, signaling the formal start of their service year in the state.
Despite the ceremonial tone, NYSC Edo State Coordinator Dr. Frances Ben-Ushie used the occasion to highlight pressing welfare and infrastructure gaps that are hampering the smooth execution of NYSC programs. She stressed that the rapidly growing cohort exerts increasing pressure on the camp’s already limited facilities and resources.
Among the challenges she enumerated were inadequate hostel capacity for corps members and camp officials, the need for more workshops and laboratories to support Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) training, high electricity tariffs and generator running costs, and an incomplete access gate that affects security and logistics.
She also pointed to the absence of operational vehicles for monitoring corps members and the lack of annual subventions from the state as provided for under the NYSC Act, all of which constrain effective program delivery.
Ben-Ushie appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo to prioritize the scheme and provide the necessary funding and infrastructural support to sustain welfare and program quality. She noted that insufficient feeding augmentation and delays in state allowances have driven some corps members to relocate temporarily to other states, a trend she described as detrimental to the local deployment and morale.
Nevertheless, the coordinator acknowledged the state government’s positive contributions, including ongoing support for post-camp deployment by providing buses needed to facilitate relocation and field operations for corps members as they transition into their service year.
Governor Okpebholo, represented by Charity Amayaenvbo, Edo State Commissioner for Youth Affairs, responded to the appeal with a firm commitment to the security and welfare of corps members.
The governor emphasized that the welfare, safety, and security of NYSC participants are a top priority and pledged continuous efforts to create a conducive environment for youths to thrive during their year of service.
In his remarks, the governor highlighted the broad opportunities available to corps members across key sectors such as agriculture, technology, education, entrepreneurship, and tourism, urging recipients to leverage these opportunities with innovation, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence. He framed the service year as a chance to contribute to societal development while leaving a lasting, positive legacy.
