Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has charged the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed in the state to be creative, innovative, and proactive in identifying solutions to societal challenges.

Otti gave the charge on Friday at the opening ceremony for the 2025 Batch ‘A’ Stream II corps members, at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Umunna in Bende LGA.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Mr Ikechukwu Emetu, said that his administration would provide the requisite enablement for the corps members to effectively discharge their mandate.

He said that the government would work closely with the NYSC management to ensure that their service year was productive and fulfilling.

“We consider you critical partners in our national transformation efforts, driven by our social compact contract with the people of Abia as encapsulated in the New Abia project blueprint.

“Our blueprint focuses on institutional and structural reforms, sustained economic growth and development.

“We will vigorously pursue the rebuilding, maintenance, upgrade and expansion of our critical infrastructure, including the ongoing rehabilitation of your orientation camp,” he said.

In a speech, the State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Gladys Adama, said that the orientation course programme was designed to equip the corps members adequately for the task of nation-building and challenges that lie ahead of them during the service year.

Adama promised the scheme’s commitment to the development of the state through the posting of corps members to various communities across the state.

She expressed gratitude to the governor for the ongoing rehabilitation of the orientation camp and providing the needed enabling environment for corps members to thrive in the state.

“However, I wish to appeal to the NYSC-loving governor that the NYSC state Secretariat in Umuahia is in a very bad state of dilapidation,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state Chief Judge, Justice Lilian Abai, represented by Justice C. E. Anyim, administered the Oath of Allegiance on the corps members.