Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) deployed to the state to embrace selfless and responsible service, describing their service year as “a debt owed to Nigerians.”
Fubara gave the charge on Tuesday at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area, during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Batch C Stream I orientation course for corps members deployed to Rivers State.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Promise Oguzie, the governor urged the corps members to integrate properly into their host communities and contribute meaningfully to their development.
He reminded them of “the absolute necessity to integrate seamlessly with the host community through respect for their culture and traditions.”
The governor also encouraged the corps members to conduct themselves as role models, stressing the importance of identifying and addressing challenges in their host communities.
“You must be role models and bring solutions to problems rather than creating them,” he said.
Fubara further urged the corps members to take the post-camp Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme seriously, noting that the training would equip them with practical skills to become economically self-reliant.
He said the programme offered an opportunity for them to “develop the capacity to create wealth and become employers of labour,” rather than depend solely on paid employment after completing their national service.
The governor’s representative encouraged the corps members to demonstrate commitment, discipline and a strong sense of responsibility in the discharge of their duties throughout their service year.
In his farewell address, the Rivers State NYSC Coordinator, Mr Moses Oleghe, commended the corps members for their resilience, discipline and determination throughout the three-week orientation exercise.
Oleghe said the orientation programme had helped instil in them the values of teamwork, patriotism and active participation in national development.
According to him, the corps members had “developed the culture of participation in nation-building and activated team spirit in putting Nigeria first” in their activities.
He urged them to sustain these values as they proceeded to their respective Places of Primary Assignment (PPAs), reminding them that their conduct would reflect not only their individual character but also the image of the NYSC scheme.
“You must be good ambassadors of the NYSC scheme wherever you are posted,” he charged the corps members.
The NYSC coordinator also expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Government, security agencies and other stakeholders for their contributions to the successful conduct of the orientation exercise.
He acknowledged the support provided by the various institutions and individuals, noting that their cooperation was essential to creating an enabling environment for the corps members throughout the camping period.
A total of 3,280 corps members, comprising 1,380 males and 1,900 females, successfully completed the 2026 Batch C Stream I orientation course in Rivers State.
