The Gombe State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps, Chinwe Nwachuku, has appealed to Governor Muhammadu Yahaya for urgent intervention after a windstorm destroyed parts of the NYSC orientation camp in Amada, Akko Local Government Area.
Nwachuku made the appeal on Friday during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2025 Batch ‘A’ Stream II corps members.
Nwachuku said, ‘I want to seize this opportunity to profoundly thank His Excellency for the love the scheme enjoys in Gombe State.
‘But as we are gathered here today, it is with tears in my eyes that I want to bring to the attention of His Excellency, a very pressing concern that affects the welfare and safety of not just these vibrant young men and women, but the entire camp community’.
She said the storm, which struck on Tuesday, blew off the roof of the camp’s multipurpose pavilion and damaged several hostels, leaving some rooms leaking or fully exposed.
‘This pavilion serves as a vital hub for our activities and it has been severely blown off. Some rooms are not just leaking but are open.
‘It will be wicked of the camp community to pray against rain during this planting season, but my children are always wondering what their fate will be in case of rainfall’, she stated.
Nwachuku appealed to the governor to consider an emergency intervention to repair the damaged facilities and restore a safe and conducive environment for the corps members.
‘Your support will not only provide a safe and conducive environment but also inspire and motivate these young individuals to serve our state with renewed vigour’, she said.
Nwachuku expressed gratitude to Yahaya for his continued support of the scheme and to the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Halima Mohammed, who was represented by Justice Zainab Abdulkadir and administered the oath to 1,629 corps members.
Newly sworn-in corps members on parade during the 2025 Batch ‘A’ Stream II swearing-in ceremony at the Gombe orientation camp
Of the newly sworn-in members, 893 are male and 736 female.
Welcoming the corps members, Nwachuku advised them to serve with discipline and obey local laws and customs.
Yahaya, represented by Deputy Governor Dr Manassah Jatau, assured the corps members that their welfare remains a priority.
He urged them to embrace cultural diversity and avoid imposing their beliefs on host communities.
‘Your own tradition, culture, and norms are not general beliefs; adapt to the culture of your environment. It’s our expectation that your batch will excel, be guided by the norms of NYSC’, he said.
The ceremony marked the beginning of the three-week orientation course for the corps members deployed to Gombe State.
