By ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja

No fewer than 110 ex-corps members, drawn from the 2018 and 2019 batches will on Thursday in Abuja, be conferred with the prestigious Presidential Honors Awards by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, who made the disclosure at a press conference at the scheme’s headquarters, revealed that out of the over 500 names shortlisted were pruned down to the 110 after a rigorous selection process.

Explaining that the event will be virtual, the NYSC DG further explained that the corps members were selected based on their “exemplary performance during orientation, primary assignment, group community development service, winding-up and passing-out programmes” amongst other criteria.

Brid-Gen Ibrahim however noted that corps members that relocated from their original states of posting in addition to those that served in their states were not considered for the awards.

Defending the vigorous selection process, the NYSC DG said: “Many were involved in the screening of the awardees. The association of Vice Chancellors, Nigeria Army, Nigeria Police, association of Rectors, two retired directors of the scheme, among others.

“The NYSC only served as the secretary. It was rigorous because we want to ensure that only those that qualified made the list. Those that won the award must have also won awards at Local Government, States, before getting to the national level.

“The number shortlisted is over 500 before National Selection Committee screened it to 110. It is no the NYSC that determines who win the award. I am happy that these are names that was selected and the good thing is that all the selected corps members distinguished themselves.

“It was a vigorous criteria used and it does not mean that those that were not selected did not do well. One of the criteria is that you must not relocate to another state because as a corps member you must be patriotic to serve anywhere you are posted. You are expected to stay and put in your best for the country,” he explained.

On the incessant backlogs of ex-corps members due for the presidential honors awards, he noted that the scheme is working hard to put an end to the trend, adding that plans are underway to make it an annual affair for each batch.

He equally commented on the orientation exercise, emphasising that there were no cases of COVID-19 recorded in the camps so far, lamenting that the only victim, a staff of the scheme who died of the deadly virus in Kano State was not allowed into the camp as he was taken to the isolation center immediately he tested positive.

While arguing that the participants are relatively very young persons with strong immunity, he revealed that the corps members who were in camp, February last year, were given opportunities to return to camp and complete their orientation exercise, hence they would be passing out next week. (Daily Sun)

Update news