The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has appealed to employers in Lagos State to promptly accept corps members posted to their organisations and provide them with decent accommodation during their service year.
The NYSC Coordinator in Lagos, Christiana Salmwang, made the appeal on Wednesday at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Batch B, Stream II Orientation Course held at the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp, Iyana-Ipaja.
Salmwang said accommodation remained critical to the ability of corps members to discharge their responsibilities effectively, particularly as many of those deployed to Lagos were from other states and would spend the next year serving in the state.
“Accommodation is fundamental to effective service delivery. Employers must accept corps members, settle them promptly and provide decent accommodation,” she said.
According to her, providing suitable accommodation for corps members would help address several challenges they could encounter throughout their service year and create better conditions for them to contribute to national development.
She commended the Lagos State Government for its support for corps members and organisations that engage them under the national service scheme.
However, she called for greater intervention to tackle accommodation challenges facing corps members deployed to the state.
Salmwang also urged the corps members to remain focused, diligent and committed to their duties, regardless of their places of deployment across Lagos.
She charged them to use their Community Development Service (CDS) projects to make meaningful contributions to their host communities.
“They have been trained, mentored and must make a difference, particularly through CDS, and give back to society,” she said.
The NYSC coordinator said the contributions of corps members to their host communities should go beyond their period of national service, adding that the impact they make could become part of their lasting legacy.
Also speaking, Toyin Oke-Oseyintolu, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, urged the corps members to leave positive footprints wherever they were deployed.
Oke-Oseyintolu advised them to make themselves valuable to their host communities by identifying local challenges and developing practical solutions rather than waiting for instructions.
She encouraged the corps members to remain resilient and determined in pursuing their goals, saying they should not allow setbacks to undermine the opportunities available to them during and after national service.
The permanent secretary further commended the corps members for their coordinated performances during the closing ceremony.
