The Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kwara State, Esther Ikupolati, has said 7, 759 corps members will serve as ad-hoc staff during the general elections in the state.
Mrs Ikupolati made this known at the weekend in Ilorin, the state capital after the state-wide tour of various corps locations.
A statement issued by the NYSC Head of Public Relations, Dipo Morakinyo, quoted Mrs Ikupolati as saying that the scheme was prepared for the 2019 elections.
“It is no longer news that the members of the National Youth Service Corps, by virtue of the existing MoU with the INEC, will constitute the bulk of ad hoc staff who will be conducting the elections,” the coordinator said.
She allayed the fear of insecurity of corps members while addressing them at their various local government areas across the state.
According to her, all the security agencies in the state, including the police, military, DSS and NSCDC, have assured the NYSC of the safety and security of corps members before, during and after the elections.
“Even the representatives of the various political parties in Kwara State assured the NYSC that they will ensure the security of corps members on election duties, ‘’ she said.
She urged the corps members to be worthy ambassadors of the NYSC by not involving in any act that could compromise the integrity of the election process.
According to her, NYSC is apolitical and all corps members must not be partisan in their activities.
She warned the corps members not to allow unscrupulous politicians to lure them into election malpractice.
The coordinator also assured the corps members that they would not be deployed to noted flash points in the state where their security could not be guaranteed.
She also appealed to the people of the state to see the corps members on election duties as unbiased umpires.
