Fides Media Living the Faith
By Precious Ukeje and Alexander Adejoh
The Anambra State National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has commissioned a 5 Self-contained block Corpers’ Lodge built by a corps member, Boniface Agba, serving at St. John of God Secondary School, Awka.
This is even as the State Coordinator of the Corps in the state, Mr. Kehinde Aremu, has charged corps members to endeavour to acquire social capital, noting that it would bring about people’s trust and money consequently.
The building was commissioned last Wednesday by the State Coordinator at the premises of the school.
Aremu, who decried the situation of young people complaining of the unfairness of government and lack of money as a factor for failure, said the cultivation of social capital was more important than money and would attract anyone to invest in whatsoever they embarked on.
He commended the initiative of Agba and said it would take one’s creativity and deep thinking to conceive such project, considering the duration and the amount of money needed to execute it.
He also said what Agba had done would earn him recognition by the scheme and other agencies.
Aremu enjoined people in attendance to identify problems around them and proffer solutions as a sure way to attract money. He said though one might feel dispirited in the course of carrying out a project, there would always be a way out.
The Corps’ helmsman thanked the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation, Honourable Ambassador Chinedu Nwabueze, for his immense support towards the execution of the project and called on other young special assistants to the governor to take up the role of mentoring other young fellows and maintain continuous support to the NYSC.
For his part, while addressing people present at the occasion, Agba who would pass out this February, said he was inspired by previous experience, the need for instructors to be close to students for effective teaching and learning, as well as the concomitant accommodation issue experienced by corps members across the nation.
He eulogized the SSA to the Governor on Transport, Hon. Nwabueze, for taking the role of a chief sponsor from the inception of the project to its completion.
In his remarks, the Manager, St. John of God Secondary School, Reverend Father Jidere Chigozie, who represented the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Awka, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, said they had feared the project would not be completed because of the amount of money required but remained optimistic because of Agba’s doggedness which he described as commendable.
Rev. Fr. Chigozie, who described Agbaas an industrious and hardworking person, thanked all who supported the completion of the project, and noted that the school’s Management, which he said, did the bulk of the sponsorship, would need the help of the government to recover some of the money they had spent on the project.
The Chairman, Parent-Teacher-Association, Ichie Nnoli, appreciated Agba and also thanked the PTA for their support during the period of completing the project.
In a separate remark, the SSA to the Governor on Transport, Hon. Amb. Nwabueze, who said Agba attracted his support because he showed he had a good intent, expressed happiness for the successful completion of the project.
He said he did not know Agba before the time of the project and urged other corps members, especially those who had just started their service year, to make efforts to carry out similar projects.
The Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Anuli Molokwu; Assistant Director, Corps Welfare and Health, Mrs. Chinyere Obidigbo;Assistant Director, Corps Inspection and Monitoring, Mr. Ayanda Ayorinde; Assistant Director, Community Development Service, CDS, Mr. Peter Nwajei the State PRO, Mr Samuel Ogah; SSA to the Governor, Project Management and Monitoring, Chief Charles Nchezor, and other NYSC officials, were also part of the event.