The National Youth Service Corps has announced that prospective corps members will now be required to present fitness certificates from recognized public health facilities at orientation camps across the country.
Eddy Megwa, Director, Press and Public Relations of the NYSC, said in a statement that the new policy will begin with the 2022 Batch 'C' Orientation Course, adding that the certificate of fitness will become a requirement for registration at camps.
The fitness test, according to the director, will help the scheme determine the health status of corpers and catch those who lie about their medical conditions.
"In order to provide the scheme with credible information on their health status and to protect them from exploitation by unscrupulous individuals," Megwa explained.
“It is pertinent to note that the NYSC Orientation Camp Clinics across the nation are managed by the National Health Insurance Authority with the supervision of Consultants from tertiary health institutions.
“In view of the regimentation and physical demands of some activities of the NYSC Orientation programme, the management of the Scheme introduced presentation of Certificate of Fitness from recognised public health facilities by prospective Corps Members as a requirement for registration at the Orientation Camp.
“The essence was to enable Camp Officials manage those who are not fit to undertake certain activities in the Camp. This has been largely misunderstood, leading to extortion of some prospective Corps Members by fraudulent individuals in their bid to secure such documents some of which may not stand a test of integrity.“