The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced plans to strengthen compliance with occupational health, safety and environmental standards across all its formations.
The Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this in Abuja at the maiden Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Schedule Officers Workshop, themed: “Preventing Workplace Hazards and Creating a Safe Environment in All NYSC Formations.”
Represented by the Director of Human Resource Management, Mr. Nura Umar, the Director-General said the initiative was aimed at protecting staff, Corps members, visitors, service providers and government property.
He said the Scheme would intensify efforts to identify occupational hazards, assess risks, prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, protect the environment and comply with relevant safety regulations.
Nafiu urged NYSC formations to prioritise regular workplace inspections, risk assessments, proper maintenance of safety equipment, fire drills, first-aid preparedness and effective emergency response procedures.
“We must therefore move beyond reacting to incidents and embrace a proactive safety culture,” he said.
The Director-General also charged participants to apply the knowledge gained at the workshop by identifying hazards, assessing risks, promoting continuous safety awareness and developing clear action plans to make every NYSC formation safer and healthier.
The Director-General of the General Services Department, Mrs. Yetunde Baderinwa, described the workshop as an important step towards establishing a coordinated and sustainable approach to occupational health, safety and environmental management across the Scheme.
She stressed that the safety of NYSC officials, visitors, service providers and other stakeholders must remain a collective responsibility.
Participants included Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Schedule Officers from the 36 NYSC state secretariats and the Federal Capital Territory.
