Prospective corps members who have not taken COVID-19 vaccine jabs won’t be allowed into the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, offices and orientation camps, ahead of the 2021 Batch C, Stream II, orientation course slated to begin on November 24.
NYSC’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Adenike Adeyemi (Mrs), who disclosed this at a briefing in Abuja on Friday said, henceforth, each graduate seeking absorption into the Scheme’s orientation exercise must present a Certificate of Fitness from a Government or Military Hospital affixed with a Nigeria Medical Association Stamp.
Adeyemi said the new policy was to establish the health status of prospective corps members before they are registered for the mandatory national service.
“Sequel to the recent announcement of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, prospective corps members are to note that effective 1st December 2021, they will be required to show evidence of COVID-19 vaccination before they are allowed access into offices and orientation camps. Please note that the presentation of forged COVID-19 certificate is a criminal offence.
“In addition, each prospective corps member must present a Certificate of Fitness from a government or military hospital affixed with Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Stamp showing his or her health status before he or she will be registered,” she said.
Adeyemi urged qualified graduates who wish to be registered for national service not to present any fake document at the orientation camps.
“Management has put in place adequate machineries to clampdown and prosecute anyone caught,” she cautioned.
She warned qualified graduates who failed to make themselves available for the one-year national service would be prosecuted in line with the provisions of Section 13 sub-section 1(a) and (b) of the NYSC Act.