By Okechukwu Okey

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Thursday, extended the service year of 42 corps members who defaulted in at least one out of the four cardinal programs of the scheme during the 2021 Batch B Stream 1 service year.

The NYSC coordinator in Anambra State, Mrs Blessing Ekene Iruma, who disclosed this at the NYSC passing out parade ceremony held at Awka, the State capital, noted that the 42 have been recommended for correctional measures ranging from 2 weeks extension to outright repeat of service.

Iruma further pointed out that 2 distinguished themselves to receive State awards while 13 others bagged State Coordinator's letter of commendation.

"Your Excellency Sir, I present to you these Patriotic youth that have completed their services in all the nooks and crannies of the state and have partnered with this administration in many ways including the educational, health, skills acquisitions and construction works. And we have been receiving glowing commendations from their host communities.

"May I use this opportunity to inform you that 2022 Batch B (stream II) orientation course programme holds from 20 July 2022 to August 5 2022 to fill up the gap created by these outgoing ones. While we appreciate His Excellency's numerous assistance to the scheme in the state, we are still appealing for speedy intervention on the menace done by erosion at the Nnamdi Azikiwe NYSC Unity permanent orientation camp Umuawulu/Mbaukwu through proper landscaping," she noted.

She noted that they were ready to partner with the state towards grassroots development, because according to her, it was the scheme desire to be part of the state success story in the capital development.

The Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, while bestowing the honours to the deserving corp members, also mourned one unnamed female corp member, who according to him, died at the course of the service year.

The governor, represented by the State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Patrick Agha-Mba, acknowledged the challenges facing the scheme and promised to tackle them headlong.

"You have in no small way partnered with the state in the developmental programs of the state essentially in government and private schools, including provision of educational materials. In rural schools, Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, (HIRD), skills acquisitions, provisions of solar lights in some communities, environmental sanitation, construction works, charity visitations and many other ways.

"We cannot take your selfless services for granted. However, we are aware of the challenges facing the scheme at the Orientation Camp especially the ravaging influence of erosion and I am in contact with professionals that will handle the landscaping. We cannot in any way watch our highly admired structures at the camp be washed away by erosion. Regrettably, we lost one of you, in the course of the service year; on this note let's pause for a minute silence in honour of our fallen hero. May her soul rest in peace."