Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving the welfare and living conditions of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the state.
The governor made the pledge on Monday while officially declaring open the 2026 Batch B Stream I NYSC Orientation Course in Ekiti State.
Represented at the swearing-in ceremony by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Gold Adesola Adedayo, Oyebanji congratulated the corps members on the successful completion of their academic programmes and urged them to see themselves as ambassadors of national unity and development.
He noted that their deployment to Ekiti State reflects the nation’s commitment to fostering integration among people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
According to the governor, the NYSC scheme remains a vital platform for strengthening national cohesion, promoting mutual understanding and encouraging peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.
He charged the corps members to embrace the different cultures, languages and traditions they would encounter during their service year, stressing that diversity should be seen as a source of strength rather than division.
Oyebanji explained that the orientation course was carefully designed to prepare corps members mentally, physically and morally for the responsibilities of national service.
He said activities such as drills, lectures, skill acquisition programmes and communal living were aimed at instilling discipline, resilience and teamwork.
The governor also underscored the importance of the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, urging participants to take advantage of the initiative, noting that the future belongs to job creators rather than job seekers.
Highlighting his administration’s development priorities, Oyebanji identified education and agriculture as critical sectors driving sustainable growth in the state.
He encouraged the corps members to demonstrate diligence, innovation and dedication at their places of primary assignment, while building on the contributions of previous batches in schools, healthcare facilities and community development projects across the state.
The governor commended the NYSC State Coordinator, Alhaji Rico Abdullahi Shahibu, and members of his team for their commitment to the welfare of corps members despite existing infrastructural challenges.
He assured them of the state government’s readiness to improve facilities at the orientation camp and collaborate with relevant institutions to provide mentorship and support for viable business ventures initiated by corps members.
Earlier, the NYSC State Coordinator, Alhaji Rico Abdullahi Shahibu, expressed appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for what he described as the administration’s exceptional and unwavering support for the scheme in Ekiti State.
Shahibu noted that the governor’s interventions had led to the construction of modern sanitation facilities at the orientation camp as well as the renovation of the NYSC state secretariat, among other improvements.
