The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, has urged employers of corps members in Rivers State to provide conducive work environments that will enable them to enjoy productive and rewarding service years.
Nafiu made the call on Tuesday at the 2026 NYSC/Corps Employers’ Workshop held at the Port Harcourt City Council. The workshop, themed “Fine-tuning Stakeholders’ Collaboration to Enhance Corps Members’ Welfare and Workplace Experience,” brought together public and private sector employers and other stakeholders.
Represented by the Deputy Director, Certification and Mobilisation, NYSC South-South Area Office II, Port Harcourt, Mrs. Faustina Ilora, the Director-General described the workplace as the primary platform where corps members acquire practical experience, develop professional competence and contribute meaningfully to national development.
According to him, the quality of the workplace experience has a significant impact on corps members’ productivity, morale, personal development and overall perception of the NYSC scheme.
He therefore charged employers to assign corps members duties that align with their academic qualifications, while providing effective mentorship, proper supervision and opportunities for professional growth.
In his welcome address, the NYSC Rivers State Coordinator, Mr. Moses Oleghe, urged corps employers to regard the welfare of corps members and the provision of a conducive working environment as a sacred responsibility.
He expressed optimism that the workshop would equip participants with new strategies for strengthening collaboration and improving the implementation of the NYSC scheme in the state.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Dr. Sabastine Nwankwo Jr. of the Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, called on employers to be deliberate in harnessing the talents and potential of corps members by creating workplaces that encourage innovation, productivity and personal development.
The workshop attracted a large turnout of stakeholders, including employers from government ministries, agencies, educational institutions and private organisations, all committed to enhancing the welfare and workplace experience of corps members in Rivers State.
