In a stirring affirmation of the power of youthful engagement in national renewal, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has formally commended the outgoing National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who served under its Anti-Corruption Community Development Service (CDS) group.
The Commission, at a ceremony recently held at its Rivers State Office in Port Harcourt, presented each corps member with a Certificate of Participation for their steadfast advocacy against malfeasance throughout their mandatory one-year national service.
The event, which unfolded against the backdrop of the Commission’s broader policy of Active Youth Participation, underscored a deliberate strategic pivot: enlisting the vigour and moral clarity of young Nigerians as frontline foot-soldiers in the war against corruption.
Delivering the keynote remarks, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for Rivers and Bayelsa States, Dr. Mrs. Ekere Usiere, represented by the Head of the Public Education Unit, Mr. Obinna Osim, lauded the outgoing corps members for their resilience and principled stand.
“Your unwavering dedication is not merely commendable, it is emblematic of the transformative ethos this Commission seeks to embed across every stratum of our national life,”
Mr. Osim stated. He noted that their active participation had breathed life into the Commission’s vision of cultivating a citizenry that not only abhors corruption but actively champions transparency and accountability in their immediate communities.
As the corps members prepare to take their leave from the NYSC scheme and step into the broader, often turbulent, labour market, Mr. Osim charged them to carry forward the torch of integrity.
“Shun every shade of corrupt practice, and let honesty, patriotism, and active citizenship remain your compass; both in your personal endeavours and in the professional arenas you are about to enter.”
The ICPC, in a closing statement, reaffirmed its unwavering conviction that the empowerment of young people as ethical ambassadors remains a cornerstone of its long-term strategy for building a corruption-free society.