The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, has called on NYSC Guidance and Counseling Schedule Officers to brace up for the challenges associated with their duties, particularly in addressing social issues affecting corps members.
Speaking in Abuja during the maiden workshop for the officers, themed “Dealing with Contemporary Challenges in Corps Administration: Corps Guidance and Counseling a Necessary Tool,” General Nafiu highlighted the increasing rates of drug abuse, suicidal tendencies, and depression among youths. He emphasized the urgent need for intervention to safeguard young people from these societal problems.
He urged the officers to enhance their monitoring efforts to identify and support corps members struggling with depression. “I have come to charge you that it is not going to be an easy task. We need to look into the cases of the young ones coming into the scheme. The suicide rate is increasing in the larger society,” he said.
The DG assured that the NYSC would continue retraining its officers to improve their effectiveness.
Director of Corps Welfare and Health Services, Mr. Ayodele Omotade, commended General Nafiu for addressing the workshop participants, who were drawn from NYSC state secretariats across the country, including the FCT, area offices, and the National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.
