Awka, April 16, 2019 (NAN) No fewer than six corps members publicly denounced their membership to cult groups and use of hard drugs during the Batch A 2019 orientation course in Anambra.
Another two corps members also made marriage proposal to each other at the just concluded orientation camp.
Mr Kehinde Aremu, Coordinator of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra said this during the Passing Out ceremony of the batch at Umunya Temporary Orientation Camp, Oyi, South East Nigeria on Tuesday.
Aremu said two of the corps members denounced cultism while four gave up use of hard drugs.
He said the repentant youths were seen engaging in the vices at secret places by the security personnel on camp and were invited for interaction.
The coordinator also announced that two corps members proposed for marriage during the orientation course, said no element of force was used to achieve the conversion but love and good counsel.
Aremu said that most youths who found themselves in cultism and drugs were languishing in them because of lack of attention and loving hearts they could confide in for a way out of their situations.
« I am happy to announce to you that two corps members who belonged to cult groups renounced their membership of those groups and four of them gave up their drug abuse behaviour.
« We were able to achieve this through being their father figure and providing spiritual leadership; we gave them listening ear, counseled them and I can assure you that their turnaround is total.
« Some publicly embraced the Nigerian culture for the first time, in fact a marriage proposal was publicly made here between two corps members on camp, » he said.
Aremu said the scheme was able to put up a memorable camping exercise in spite of the windstorm that wreaked havoc at the temporary site few days to commencement of the camp.
He however, urged Anambra Government to deliver on its promise to complete works at the permanent site in Awka South council area and that next camping exercise would hold there.
« I once again will like to acknowledge the support of the state government to the NYSC, while thanking the governor; I must not fail to appeal for speedy completion of work going on at the permanent site.
« We look forward to relocating to the site by next orientation course, » he said.
On his part, Gov. Willie Obiano congratulated the corps members or a successful orientation course and charged them to be agents of positive change.
Obiano, who was represented by Mr Bonaventure Enemali, Commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy assumed that the permanent orientation camp project have not been abandoned.
« We have not forgotten the promise, we are very optimistic that this is going to be the last orientation course to hold in Umunya, » he said.
The governor said that plans were on for an enhanced reward system for corps members who would be posted to rural and hard to reach areas of the state, » he said.
