The Management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has pledged to significantly step up workplace safety measures across all its formations to guarantee a secure, healthy environment for staff, corps members, visitors, and government property.
The assurance came during the inaugural Occupational Health, Safety, and Environment (OHSE) Schedule Officers Workshop held on Monday, October 26, 2026, at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Themed “Preventing Workplace Hazards and Creating a Safe Environment in All NYSC Formations,” the event brought together designated safety officers representing the 36 state secretariats and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In an official statement released in Abuja by the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the scheme outlined a renewed effort to identify workplace hazards, conduct routine risk assessments, prevent occupational injuries, and ensure total compliance with modern safety standards.
Delivering the key address on behalf of the Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, the Director of Human Resource Management, Mr. Nura Umar, emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in administrative culture.
He urged management and field staff alike to move beyond merely reacting to incidents after they occur and instead embrace a proactive safety mindset.
To achieve this goal, the Director-General directed all NYSC offices to prioritize regular workplace inspections, maintain safety equipment properly, conduct periodic fire drills, maintain accessible first-aid provisions, and enforce robust emergency response protocols.
He tasked the workshop participants with taking the knowledge acquired back to their respective state commands to actively map out potential hazards, promote continuous safety awareness among corps members, and implement clear local action plans.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Director of the General Services Department, Mrs. Yetunde Baderinwa, described the workshop as an important milestone toward establishing a unified and sustainable framework for occupational health, safety, and environmental management across the scheme.
She noted that safeguarding the lives and well-being of officials, corps members, service providers, and host communities must remain a shared responsibility, requiring consistent compliance from all stakeholders at every level of operations.
