No fewer than 20 Corps members in the 2017 NYSC Batch B, Stream 11, in Nasarawa State, bagged various extensions of service period for different misconducts during the service year.

The NYSC Coordinator in the state, Mrs Zainab Isah, made this known to newsmen on Thursday after supervising a low key Passing out Parade (POP) for the corps members in Lafia Local Government Area.

Isah said that the affected corps members had their service years extended by various periods because they committed different offences and had to be punished based on the gravity of their offences and according to NYSC bye-laws.

“We have 20 corps members that have disciplinary cases. Some of them missed one allowance or the other because they were not around. Either they travelled without permission or they travelled with permission but extended their leave without informing NYSC.

“So those allowances they missed are the ones that will be given to them during their extension of service.

“Some got two weeks extension, some three weeks while others got longer extensions. It depends on the misconduct and what the NYSC bye-laws stipulated as punishment,” she said.

Isah explained that the decision to extend the service year of the erring corps members was the recommendation of the state NYSC Disciplinary Committee which according to her, will serve as a deterrent to others.

“We have a committee on Corps discipline, comprising of all assistant directors and all heads of branches in the secretariat. The state coordinator is not a member.

“When this body sits, they look into the cases and invite the concerned Corps members to defend themselves. At the end, a decision is taken strictly in accordance with NYSC bye-laws.

“I am really disappointed that even with the noble effort of government through this scheme; some people are rather misusing the opportunity instead of taking advantage of what NYSC is offering.

“1, 957 Batch B, Stream 11 Corp members successfully completed their service year and were issued certificates of national service at a low key passing out ceremonies at various NYSC Zonal offices across the state,’’ she said.

While appreciating the corps members for their patriotism and perseverance during the service year, Isah advised them to be self-reliant and employers of labour rather than seek for white collar jobs.

“They should go ahead with what we taught them in camp. They should just continue with those trainings and I am sure those trainings will see them through and in no distance time, they too will be employers of labour,” she said.

She thanked the state government for its support to the scheme and urged for sustenance especially in the area of engagement of corps members who might have made significant positive impact in the area of their primary assignments.

“We have five corps members who distinguished themselves based on the contributions they made in their places of assignments.

“They did exceptionally well but we are yet to submit the list to the state government because the NYSC governing board is yet to hold a meeting on it,” she said.