The director of Muslim Rights Concern, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, has called for the postponement of NYSC orientation camp for batch A, due to start today.
He questioned the wisdom behind the decision to go on with the orientation camp despite the spread of coronavirus globally.
Meanwhile, the NYSC urged corp members not to panic because they have health measures in place. However, MURIC insisted that the NYSC has to come to terms with the reality on ground.
‘Authorities of the NYSC on Sunday March 8 told youth corps members not to panic over the Coronavirus outbreak around the world, ” MURIC wrote in a statement signed by prof. Ishaq Akintola.
“According to the NYSC, certain preventive measures have been put in place to prevent any outbreak of the virus in its 37 orientation camps scattered nationwide.
“But we express doubts over the wisdom behind the resolve of the NYSC to carry on with the orientation exercise in the face of worldwide outbreaks,” he said.
“While we agree that the outbreak is not the fault of NYSC officials, we insist that the planning of the orientation camps should take into cognisance the reality on ground.
“To be on the safe side, the exercise should be postponed by one or two months.
“We are talking of 350,000 skilled Nigerians. These are our children. They are the hope of this country. We should not put their lives at risk.
He, furthermore, urged the nation to take a lesson from Saudi Arabia’s decision to cancel pilgrimage, despite the fact that they are renown conservatives.
“Events are being postponed across the world. Saudi Arabia, a highly conservative country, saw wisdom in halting its annual Umrah (lesser pilgrimage),” he said.
“We therefore suggest an immediate suspension of all preparations for the 2020 Batch A orientation exercise in the interest of public safety until the coast is clear,”
