Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the upgrade and renovation of facilities at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Rivers State.
Governor Fubara gave the approval on Tuesday while receiving the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, on a working visit to Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor said Rivers State remains peaceful and hospitable, noting that he was not surprised by reports that many graduates and parents prefer the state for national service.
He said the state’s stability reflects the core duty of government to protect lives and property and provide basic amenities.
Fubara directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Benino Anabraba, to assess the required work at the camp and submit a report for immediate action.
He also assured that the state will provide office space for the newly established NYSC regional office and consider the relocation or remodeling of the NYSC State Secretariat, which he described as no longer befitting.
Earlier, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, said he was in the state as part of a nationwide tour of orientation camps.
He disclosed that 2,586 corps members are currently undergoing the 2025 Batch C orientation programme in Rivers State, making the state the fourth most preferred deployment destination.
He added that 8,349 indigenes of Rivers State are also serving in various states.
The DG highlighted the contributions of corps members to national development, saying their services save the state up to ₦15 billion annually if valued at full salary rates.
He thanked the governor for the state’s support, including land for the State Coordinator’s residence and plans to improve camp facilities.
He appealed for the reconstitution of the state and local government NYSC governing boards and requested the relocation of the NYSC office currently situated in a congested market area in Mile 2, Diobu.
The DG noted that the NYSC, which began in 1973/74 with 2,764 corps members, now has over 400,000 participants.
He said over 650,000 graduates are qualified for mobilisation for the 2026 service year, making expansion of facilities necessary nationwide
