The Director-General of NYSC Brigadier-General Ibrahim Shuaibu has revealed that the scheme is working tirelessly with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to ensure the reopening of NYSC Orientation Camps nationwide.
Brigadier-General Shuaibu gave this assurance on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2020 NYSC Freedom of Information Act FOIA Desk officers’ Training workshop.
NYSC Boss who was represented by the Director Human Resources Management, Hajiya Habiba Bappah expressed that, lives of the Corps members are paramount to the Scheme.
According to him, let me seize this opportunity to assure the general public that the lives of the Corps members are paramount to the Scheme.
“We are interfacing with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) for the safe reopening of our orientation camps in compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
“I wish to reiterate however that unqualified persons will not be allowed to participate in the programme as adequate measures are already in place to arrest and prosecute individuals that may attempt to do so.
“It is pertinent to inform you that in spearheading the fight against fake graduates especially foreign trained ones, we had a meeting with foreign Corps producing institutions and adopted measures to curb the trend.
“We also introduced physical and online verification exercises which resulted in the arrest and prosecution of culprits.” He assured.
Speaking on the FOIA for the Scheme’s Desk Officer’s Director-General said that the training is in furtherance of Management’s efforts at enhancing the competence of staff for higher productivity in line with the extant provisions of the FOI Act.
“Since 2011, The NYSC has remained committed to the successful implementation of the FOI Act in compliance with the Government’s directive on the domestication of the Act by all Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs).
“This is in addition to the prompt response to all FOI requests as well as a timely rendition of annual reports to the Federal Ministry of Justice. Management will continue to sustain this practice and ensure that our FOIA Desk Officers are adequately trained and equipped with relevant working materials to facilitate optimum discharge of their responsibilities.
“NYSC has, over the years, operated an effective feedback mechanism which ensures prompt response to all enquires in line with the FOIA.
“All information about the operations of the NYSC and its activities are regularly publicized and updated on the scheme’s websites, social media platforms as well as the traditional media. We have also recently reintroduced the ‘NYSC Half Hour’ magazine programme on NTA and Armed Forces Radio. This has projected the scheme as one of the best performing agencies in the FOIA compliance ranking.”
While commending the commitment and resourcefulness of the Desk Officers as well as the entire workforce of the scheme which significantly contributed to the height we have attained so far; he urged them to re-double their efforts in the discharge of their duties in order to realize the scheme’s target of becoming the leading agency in FOIA compliance.
In her opening remarks Mrs Adeyemi congratulates all on the achievements so far recorded in the implementation of FOIA in the Scheme.
According to her, our target is to be the best in the next compliance and transparency ranking.
“The Scheme is among the first government agencies to commence implementation of the Freedom of Information Act with the appointment of Desk Officers who have ensured NYSC’s adherence to the provisions of the law both at the National Directorate Headquarters and the 36 States/FCT Secretariats.
She equally said that the training will equally, provide the requisite platform for them to interact and rub their minds on challenges, they face in the course of discharging their duties.
On his own, one of the Speakers, the International training of the trainers on Anti-Corruption Mr. Abiodun Adebanjo in his topic: Enthroning a culture of openness in the public the sector through proper implementation of the FOIA said: “disclosed that for and desk officers’ to perform optimally they need to imbibe the culture of openness transparently and accountability.
