Abuja – The House or Representatives yesterday summoned the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig. General Sule Zakari Kazaure, over the death of three corps members at the NYSC orientation camps.
Kazaure is expected to appear before a joint committees of the House on Justice, Youths Development and Health Services to explain the circumstances which led to the deaths.
Majority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, while contributing the a motion sponsored by the member representing Boluwaduro/Ifedayo/Illa federal constituency of the state of Osun, Olufemi Fakeye, suggested that the NYSC management should liaise with the 36 state governments to construct permanent orientation camps in the states with a fully equipped medical centre.
Gbajabiamila also stated that all youths Corps members should be enrolled under a health insurance scheme for the one year period of NYSC.
He stated that expenses towards the above improvement to the NYSC scheme should be captured in the 2017 budget.
The House however resolved to send a delegation from the green chamber on a condolence visit to families of corps members who died during the compulsory one year exercise.
Fakeye in his motion titled ‘Unfortunate and Avoidable Death of late Miss. Ifedolapo Racheal Oledepo, a Corps member at the Kano state Orientation Camp,’ noted that the demise of the 26 years old first class graduate of Aviation and Transport Management of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology was avoidable.
He stated that the deceased was sick a few days after she reported to the Orientation Camp and promptly reported the condition to camp authorities.
He added that the authorities initially thought she feigned the sickness in order to dodge the routine strenuous exercises which is part of cap activities.
He stated further that although the deceased was eventually admitted to the camp clinic under the supervision of NYSC doctor supported by NYSC nurses, the camp clinic may not be adequate.
“The camp clinic may not have been adequately equipped, as the late Ifedayo was reportedly give some “Placebo” and later injected with some substance, following which a lot of rashes manifested all over her body and her tongue became twisted.
He however suggested that Corps members should be allowed to have adequate rest at the orientation camps and the rigours of camp exercise be relapsed.
