Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has given the green light for a major upgrade and renovation of the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area.
Fubara announced this on Wednesday when the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, paid him a working visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Describing Rivers as one of the safest and most welcoming states in the country, the governor said it was no surprise that many corps members and their parents prefer the state for national service.
“Rivers State is very hospitable. We are accommodating and peaceful people,” Fubara said. “So, I’m not surprised that more corps members are eager to be posted here and that their parents feel confident about their safety.”
He emphasised that the government’s primary duty is to protect lives, secure property and provide essential services, a responsibility he said the state has continued to fulfil.
The governor directed the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Benino Anabraba, to immediately review the work needed at the camp and submit a report for implementation. He also promised to provide office accommodation for the new NYSC regional office and may either renovate or relocate the agency’s state secretariat, which he described as outdated.
Fubara explained that although the NYSC is a federal institution, the beneficiaries of its facilities live in the state, making it necessary for the government to intervene.
“We will do whatever we can to make the camp and other NYSC facilities comfortable for our people and for visitors,” he assured.
Responding, Brigadier General Nafiu said 2,586 corps members are currently undergoing the 2025 Batch C orientation in Rivers State, ranking the state as the fourth most preferred posting location nationwide, after Lagos, the FCT and Oyo.
He also noted that 8,349 Rivers indigene are serving across the country.
Highlighting the importance of the scheme, the DG said corps members contribute significantly to national development and their work saves Rivers State an estimated ₦15 billion annually if calculated using full salary rates.
Nafiu thanked the state government for allocating land for the construction of a residence for the State Coordinator and for its continuous support to the scheme. He requested the reconstitution of the state and local government NYSC boards and the relocation of the NYSC office currently situated in the crowded Mile 2 Market in Diobu.
He also revealed that while the NYSC began in 1973/74 with just 2,764 corps members, the scheme now mobilises over 400,000 graduates annually, with more than 650,000 expected to be eligible for mobilisation in 2026, a development that underscores the need for expansion of facilities across the country.
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