President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to ensure the enrolment of corps members in the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, said on Monday.
Ibrahim also disclosed that the NYSC had mobilised 66,000 graduates from across the country for the 2020 NYSC Batch “B” exercise scheduled to begin on Tuesday (today).
Ibrahim stated these during a media chat in Abuja.
The NYSC DG described the scheme as “the most critical platform for mentoring Nigerian youths as drivers of national unity and development.”
He added, “The scheme has concluded arrangement with the NHIS for the enrolment of corps members into the NHIS in line with a presidential directive. We have also expended huge resources on critical health needs of corps members, including footing of medical bills.
“As of last Thursday, a total of 66,000 eligible graduates had been mobilised for the 2020 Batch B service year, resuming on Tuesday, November 10. They will participate in the orientation exercise, which has been planned in three streams for ease of compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.”
Ibrahim also warned fake graduates seeking to infiltrate the orientation camps to stay away in their own interest.
“This year, we secured the conviction of a fake corps member in Taraba. We are currently prosecuting many others. If you know you’re not a qualified graduate do not show up. If you do, we’ll arrest you and hand you over to relevant agencies for prosecution,” he said.
At the event, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said corps members would be tested free for COVID-19.
Ihekweazu said, “The COVID-19 tests would be administered free of charge on every corps members. Above all, there would be holding areas set up for isolating and treating those who test positive in the camps.
