Academy to train NYSC members on self defence

Academy to train NYSC members on self defence Martial Arts and Self -defence Academy (MASDA), is to train future National Youth Service Corps members on the art of self-defence, Mr. Richard Uboh-Ekon, the Combatant- General of the Academy said on Sunday. Uboh-Ekon told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the training was meant to equip the youths on how to defend themselves in times of crisis. He said the academy was discussing the details of the training with the management of the scheme. ``Our men are on ground ready to commence the defensive training for corps members to enable them to defend and protect themselves during crisis,’’ he said. Uboh-Ekon commended the former NYSC Director-General, Brig- Gen. Maharazu Tsiga, for his favourable disposition towards the project. He said that the academy, located in Karu, Nasarawa State, had trained more than 700 youths, aged 20 to 32, who would be deployed to different NYSC orientation camps to help in training corps members. Uboh-Ekon said corps members would be trained in the art of taekwondo, judo, boxing and wrestling, among others and explained that the training would neither be sports nor military in nature.

Corps member donates 100 helmets to commercial cyclists Okorite Isokariari gave drivers 1000 bins SEPTEMBER 11, 2011 - 6:22AM | BY VALERIE ANOFOCHI Okorite Isokariari, a corps member in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun, on Saturday, donated 100 safety helmets to commercial motorcyclists in Osogbo. Isokariari said that the donation was borne out of the danger and risk associated with the business. He observed that many commercial motorcyclists in the state capital rode without using safety helmets, adding that the lack of funds was responsible for their inability to purchase them. He urged well-meaning Nigerians to donate more helmets to assist financially handicapped commercial motorcyclists. Isokariari, with NYSC number OS/10c/0382 and attached to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Osogbo, said that the gesture was part of his Community Development Service. The corps member also distributed 100 trash bins to commercial minibus drivers as a way of keeping the state capital clean. He urged the beneficiaries to keep the bins in their vehicles. In his remark, the state Chairman of Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria, Gbenga Ajenifuja, commended the initiative of the corps member and urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the helmets. FRSC Zonal Commander, Albert Moore, urged all motorcycle riders to always wear safety helmets. Moore, who was represented at the occasion by the Zonal Head of Motor Vehicle Administration, Cecilia Alao, said that the directive was for the benefit of the users. Some of the beneficiaries commended the corps member for his gesture. Nurudeen Alatise, a beneficiary, urged the officials of the local government to always remember the less privileged in their area. Another beneficiary, Suleiman Omotoso, expressed appreciation for the kind gesture, describing the donation as an answer to his prayer. Omotosho, an orphan, admitted that it was against traffic rule to ride motorcycle without a helmet, but said that his lean financial purse prevented him from purchasing one. He promised to always make use of it whenever he rode his motorcycle.

NYSC gets new DG

Tsiga bows out as Okore-Affia becomes new NYSC DG By Nats Odaudu Submitted by peterakpochafo on Tue, 09/06/2011 - 23:00 The former director-general of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Gen. Maharazu Tsiga, yesterday formally bowed out as the 15th chief executive officer of the 38-year-old organisation, as Brigadier General Okore-Affia Nnamdi becomes the new director-general. It was an unforgettable moment as encomiums were poured on the out gone chief executive by staff describing the one they fondly called “Ochendo” as wonderful for the un-precedented leadership their former boss provided in the organisation. In his farewell speech, Tsiga was full of appreciation to President Goodluck Jonathan who gave him all the support to be able to deliver during his tenure. He also thanked the members of staff and management whom he described to his successor as the best work force anywhere in Nigeria. He enumerated his achievements as the 15th chief executive of NYSC to include the upward review of corps member’s allowances; successful participation of corps members in the 2011 general elections; training of corps members in the NYSC MDGs War Against Poverty progamme; introduction of Corps Health Insurance Scheme and employment of ex corps members,who won the president’s honours award, among many others. As for his challenges, he regretted the inability of both the state and local authorities to providing appropriate security for corps members. In his response, the new director-general, Brigadier General Okore-Affia Nnamdi said he hoped the same support given to the out gone DG would be given to him also in order to be able to move the NYSC to greater heights.