Five years after a communal crisis between the people of Ezza and Ezillo in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi state, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has resumed posting of corps members following the return of peace to the area.
Daily Trust gathered that the area had witnessed series of communal crisis between the people of Ezillo and Ezza-Ezillo which lasted from 2008 till 2013.
Also, properties worth billions of Naira were destroyed and dozens of lives lost in the crisis.
Since then, the NYSC, in keeping with its policy, refrained from posting corps members to the area.
But the renew posting of NYSC members followed a letter written by the governor in September after the State Security Council gave its approval.
Speaking to journalists after the swearing-in of the 2018 Batch C Stream II corps members deployed to the state at the Permanent Orientation Camp, Old MacGregor College, Afikpo on Monday, the State Coordinator, Mrs Ann Ibe said the NYSC commenced posting of corps members to the area from the Stream 1 earlier this month.
She said 1,680 corps members deployed to Ebonyi State for the 2018 batch C stream II were sworn-in.
A breakdown shows that 933 of them were male while 747 were female.
“Let me make it clear to you that the attainment of the much-needed unity and integration of the country Nigeria, rests squarely on the shoulders of the educated youths like you who are the beacon of a bright and prosperous future for all Nigerians,” she said.
Ebonyi state Governor, David Umahi, also assured corps members posted to the state of adequate security throughout their service year
He charged them to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors who he noted served the state so diligently and contributed to its development especially in the areas of health, education and agriculture.
Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Charles Akpuenika, Umahi said the state government has demonstrated its commitment to the Corps by approving the total renovation of the camp.
“We have also approved the increase of allowances to corps members serving in the state from N5,000 to N10,000”, the governor said.
