The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called for proactive measures to prevent workplace hazards, protect personnel and corps members, and promote environmental sustainability across its formations nationwide.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, made the call at the maiden Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (OHS&E) Schedule Officers’ Workshop on Monday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The workshop, themed “Preventing Workplace Hazards and Creating a Safe Environment in All NYSC Formations,” brought together officers responsible for occupational health, safety and environmental management across the scheme.
Represented by the Director of Human Resource Management, Alhaji Nura Umar, the Director-General said workplace safety was essential to effective administration and service delivery.
He noted that the NYSC’s nationwide operations, which include its headquarters, state secretariat, area offices, orientation camps and other facilities, required safe and healthy environments for staff, corps members, visitors and service providers.
According to him, the scheme must move beyond reacting to incidents and establish a proactive safety culture through regular workplace inspections, risk assessments, proper maintenance of safety equipment, fire drills, first-aid preparedness and effective emergency response procedures.
“Occupational Health, Safety, and Environment Management requires us to identify hazards, assess risks, prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, protect the environment, and comply with relevant safety standards,” he said.
Nafiu charged the participating schedule officers to translate the knowledge acquired at the workshop into practical improvements in their respective formations.
He urged them to identify and document potential hazards, report risks, recommend appropriate corrective measures and sensitise staff and corps members on workplace safety and environmental protection.
Clear Action Plans
The Director-General also called on participants to develop clear action plans with realistic priorities to improve safety standards across the scheme.
He described the workshop as an important step towards strengthening occupational health, safety and environmental management within the NYSC, stressing the need for prevention, preparedness and personal responsibility.
In her welcome address, the Director of General Services, Mrs Yetunde Baderinwa, said the workshop represented a significant milestone in establishing a coordinated and sustainable approach to workplace safety across the scheme.
She said the training would equip officers with practical knowledge to identify hazards, prevent accidents, respond appropriately to emergencies and maintain clean and healthy working environments in NYSC offices and orientation camps.
Baderinwa emphasised that protecting personnel, corps members, visitors and other stakeholders remained a collective responsibility.
She expressed confidence that the lessons and recommendations from the workshop would contribute to building a sustainable culture of safety within the NYSC and strengthen occupational health and safety practices.
The workshop featured resource persons, including Dr Musa Shaibu, Group Medical Director of Nisa Premier Hospital, and representatives of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), who were expected to provide professional guidance on occupational health, environmental standards and regulatory compliance.
In his vote of thanks, the Deputy Director of Occupational Health, Safety and Environment, Mr Audu Ochoga, commended the NYSC management for supporting the initiative.
He urged participants to share the knowledge gained with colleagues in their respective formations to ensure that the workshop’s outcomes translated into improved safety practices nationwide.
The workshop forms part of efforts to promote safer working conditions, protect lives and property, and strengthen environmental management throughout the NYSC.
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