The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has denied allegations that there were still some youth coppers and staff members inside the various orientation camps despite testing positive to COVID-19.
Reacting to a write-up with the caption: “Why the Rising Cases of COVID-19 in NYSC Camps”, Adenike Adeyemi, the director, press and public relations, clarified that the scheme, in collaboration with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) tested all the prospective corps members before they reported to the camps, adding that those that tested positive to COVID-19 were handled by the NCDC.
Adenike stressed that no staff or prospective corps member, who tested positive to COVID-19, was allowed into any of the orientation camps.
According to the statement, “Management wishes to once again reiterate that there is no COVID-19 positive corps member in any of the 37 orientation camps of the scheme spread across all the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Kindly note that before the commencement of the ongoing orientation programme, the scheme in collaboration with Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) tested all the prospective corps members reporting to the camps and those that tested positive to COVID-19 were handled by the NCDC.
“No one, both staff and prospective corps member that tested positive to COVID-19 was allowed into any of the Orientation Camps.
“Therefore, it is erroneous and very misleading to talk about rising cases of COVID-19 in the NYSC camps.
“The general public is advised to disregard the misleading story. Clarification should always be sought from the NYSC or NCDC on issues pertaining to COVID- 19, so as to guard against the spread of false information.
“The scheme shall never shirk its core responsibility of prioritising the welfare and security of corps members.”
BusinessDay recalled that on November 10, 2020, some corps members in the 2020 Batch ‘B’ Stream 1A corps members serving in the FCT tested positive to COVID-19 and were taken to the Thisday Dome for treatment and isolation.
