NONWA GBAM — Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has issued a powerful call to National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, urging them to serve as pillars of credibility during the upcoming 2027 general elections. The Governor emphasized that the success of Nigeria’s democratic process rests heavily on the "fearless moral uprightness" of the youth participating as electoral ad-hoc staff.

A Mandate for Credible Elections

Speaking on Tuesday during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Batch A Stream II orientation course, Governor Fubara highlighted the critical role corps members play in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) operations. Represented by Mrs. Rachel Ayasuk-Dandy, Director of Administration in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, the Governor challenged the youth to resist pressure and discharge their duties with a clear conscience.

"You must live up to the high expectations of Nigerians and the NYSC top management," Fubara stated. He noted that as beacons of hope, their conduct at the polling units would determine the faith the public has in the electoral outcome. He further assured them that the state government is fully committed to their security and welfare throughout their service year.

Community Integration and Purposeful Service

Beyond election duties, the Governor encouraged the 3,596 newly minted corps members to immerse themselves in their host communities. He advised them to seek relevance by sharing the values and aspirations of the local people, rather than remaining isolated.

Echoing this sentiment, the NYSC State Coordinator, Mr. Moses Oleghe, commended the corps members for their patriotic spirit and resilience during the three-week training. He urged them to use the service year as a transformative period to discover their true purpose. Oleghe specifically emphasized the importance of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program, advising the youth to acquire practical skills instead of waiting for increasingly elusive white-collar jobs.

Infrastructure and Capacity Boost

The ceremony also highlighted significant improvements to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area. Mr. Oleghe expressed deep appreciation to Governor Fubara for his rapid response to the surge in the number of corps members deployed to Rivers State.

The state government recently procured 1,500 new 8-inch mattresses to ensure comfort for the participants. Furthermore, the Governor has committed to constructing two new 1,000 capacity hostels one for male and one for female corps members to address the growing accommodation needs of the scheme in the state.

At the end of the exercise, a total of 3,596 corps members, comprising 1,297 males and 2,299 females, were officially posted to their various Places of Primary Assignment (PPA) across the state, marking the beginning of their year-long national service.