DG NYSC intervenes, compensates family of deceased corps member in Delta state

The Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brigadier- General YD Ahmed has intervened to get the Next of Kin (NOK) of deceased corps member, late Juliana Osochenemi Azakaza with State Code DT/16B/6364, paid the death benefit in Delta State.

Late Juliana Azakaza, until her death was a serving corps member in Warri South Local Government Area, a wife and a mother of a child before the cold hand of death snatched her away from her family and the NYSC.

The NYSC Director General was ably represented by Director Corps. Welfare and Health Services (CW&HS), Mr AF Omotade, at the event of handing over the death benefit to the NOK Mr. Azakaza Onajite, yesterday at the NYSC Delta State Secretariat in Asaba.

The NYSC DG sympathized and commiserated with the family of the deceased corps member and reiterated that the welfare and security of corps members, remain a top priority of his administration.

On the issue that had delayed the payment of death benefit to the next of Kin, Management at the National Directorate Headquarters upon investigation, found out that documents to back the request letter on behalf of the deceased corps member never got to the Director General. On this, he frowned at members of staff at different layers of administration for not rising up to the occasion at different points at hand to give this issue the maximum attention it deserved. He warned staff to be diligent in their duties and avoid acts of negligence that could portray the Scheme as irresponsive and insensitive to it's critical stakeholders.

The Director Corps Welfare and Health Services appreciated the NOK for his forbearance and efforts to attract attention of the NYSC top management on this issue. He stated that one major lesson drawn from the event was that someone somewhere failed to do the right thing and necessary action will be taken against anyone found wanting as such act of negligence is inimical to the operations of the Scheme.

Mr. Omotade charged members of Staff to be responsive and committed to their duties. He mentioned that staff are the closest parents to corps members while in service and must, therefore, be available to render service and attend to their needs all the time.

The Director CW&HS, who shared in the grief of bereaved family, stated that the reason management always wants to ensure immediate insurance benefit, was to guard against reopening the old wounds created as a result of loss of loved ones. Speaking further on the issue of death benefit, he said, ‘there is no amount of money that you receive that can equate the life of the individual but what NYSC is doing is a token of our love and appreciation of the individual while she was with us and a demonstration of sympathy, love and solidarity to the family’. It is to show that, “we care and identify with them", he said.

While responding, the NOK Mr. Azakaza Onajite, thanked the NYSC Director General and management for the response to his demand. He also apologized for failing to follow the laid down channels of communication to seek redress.

Earlier on, the State Coordinator Mr. Alao Olusegun O. thanked the Director General and management for identifying with the family of the deceased corps member in their grief and prayed to God that no corps member will die again while serving their fatherland. He further welcomed the Director CW&HS to the State. Such visit he said will offer him the opportunity to inspect some of his legacies which today speak volumes of his dutifulness while at the helm of affair in the Secretariat.

Similarly, the Director met with heads of branches and units in the secretariat, in an interactive session where he sensitized and cleared their views on some issues concerning the operations of the scheme .

In attendance were the Director South-South Area Office, Alhaji Baba Ladan represented by a Deputy Director Operations Mr. Christopher Okun, Assistant Directors and head of Corps Welfare and Health Services Branch Mr. Wellington Okun.

Highpoints of the event were the handing over of benefit cheque and group photographs.

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