Two former corps members of the 2024 service year have received automatic employment offers and a cash gift of N500,000 each from Abia State Governor Alex Otti, alongside certificates of honour, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the state's socioeconomic development.

Solomon Abonyi, a Medicine and Surgery graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Esther Aderibigbe, a nursing graduate of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, were presented with the Abia State Honours Award during a ceremony at the NYSC State Secretariat in Umuahia on Tuesday. Abonyi hails from Enugu State, while Aderibigbe is from Osun State.

In a vote of thanks, Abonyi appreciated the governor for the recognition, noting that the award would motivate both recipients to do more for humanity.

The ceremony also marked a formal change of leadership at the NYSC Abia State Secretariat, with Tanimu Yunusa, who hails from Sokoto State, assuming office as the 18th NYSC coordinator in the state. Yunusa takes over from Gladys Adama, who has been redeployed to the Human Resources Department at the NYSC National Headquarters in Abuja.

Until his appointment, Yunusa had served as the acting head of the Publicity Division in the Information and Public Relations Unit at the Directorate Headquarters.

In her valedictory speech, Adama expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve in Abia, crediting the teamwork and cooperation of NYSC staff and management for her achievements. She described the staff as "the best in the scheme" and urged them to extend the same support to her successor.

Yunusa, in his response, thanked staff for the warm reception and appealed for their continued cooperation. He pledged to operate an open door policy and to prioritise staff welfare throughout his tenure.