Kwara State government on Thursday delivered 400 new mattresses, 200 double trunk beds, 90 wooden benches and several consumable drugs to the Yikpata Camp of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), in a concrete step to make the camp liveable for the graduates deployed for the national service.
A statement by Sangodare Ayinla, Press Secretary, Ministry of Sports and Youth Development said this comes just a few weeks after Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq paid an unscheduled visit to the camp in Edu Local Government Area of the state, calling it a ‘penitentiary that is not fit for human living’ and pledging to urgently rehabilitate the camp to make the users more comfortable.
The Governor, who visited the camp on June 19, had also apologised to the NYSC members and said the condition at the camp represented the general breakdown of basic infrastructure in the state. He said the visit to the camp was a challenge for him to make things better.
Akanbi AbdulQuadry Shuaib, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Sports and Youths Development, who represented the Governor at the official handing over of the materials, said the development underscores the Governor’s commitment to the welfare of people.
Akanbi explained that the provision of the items will make the camp more comfortable for the occupants, calling on the NYSC members to consider the gesture as an incentive to be more patriotic.
“Our amiable Governor is a man of his words. What we are seeing here today is a fulfilment of pledges made just over a month ago. We are therefore celebrating a harvest from the Governor that has the concern of the people in his heart,” Akanbi said.
Mrs Esther Kupolati, the State Coordinator of the NYSC, commended AbdulRazaq for the gesture which she said portrayed the governor as a responsive and reliable leader who care for basic needs of the people.
“This gesture will go a long way to make camping more comfortable for the Corps members and we promise to ensure that they are properly utilised and maintained,” Kupolati said.
Dignitaries at the event included the Speaker of the House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Saliu Danladi; Director of Youths and Development at the Ministry Hajiah Aisha Mohammed; Deputy Director of Youths and Development Oladipo Ahmed Aliyu; and other officers from the Ministry.