NYSC Moves to Strengthen Workplace Safety Across Nationwide Formations

ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called for stronger workplace safety measures across its nationwide operations, urging officials to identify hazards early, prevent injuries and protect corps members, staff and visitors.

NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu made the call on Monday at the scheme’s maiden Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Schedule Officers’ Workshop in Abuja.

The workshop, themed “Preventing Workplace Hazards and Creating a Safe Environment in All NYSC Formations”, brought together officers responsible for safety and environmental management across the scheme.

Represented by the Director of Human Resource Management, Nura Umar, Nafiu said safe working environments were essential to effective administration and service delivery.

He noted that the NYSC’s operations span its national headquarters, state secretariats, area offices, orientation camps and other facilities, requiring consistent safety standards to protect workers, corps members, visitors and service providers.

Nafiu urged the scheme to move beyond reacting to incidents and establish a preventive safety culture through regular workplace inspections, risk assessments, equipment maintenance, 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.

He charged participants to apply the knowledge acquired during the workshop by identifying and documenting hazards, reporting risks, recommending corrective measures and educating staff and corps members on workplace safety.

The director-general also called on officers to develop practical action plans with clear priorities for improving safety standards in their respective formations.

In her welcome address, the Director of General Services, Yetunde Baderinwa, described the workshop as an important step towards establishing a coordinated and sustainable approach to workplace safety across the scheme.