The missing Corps Member, Miss Dorcas Paul Ojong.
By Ita Williams, Calabar
The Cross River State House of Assembly has called on the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to produce Miss Dorcas Paul Ojong, a missing corps member from Cross River state.
The state lawmakers in a recent sitting in Calabar, made the call to the state government, through the office of the Attorney General, to mandate the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to produce Miss Ojong.
The House adopted a resolution requesting an immediate investigation into the mysterious disappearance of the NYSC member, an indigene of Akamkpa Local Government Area who was serving in Awka, Anambra state.
“Mr Speaker, Dorcas with NYSC NO. AN/2023/4309, a Batch A, Stream 2 2023 Corps Member who was supposed to end her service in March 2024 was last seen on the 18th of February, 2024 by her landlady who said Dorcas told her that she was going to her place of primary assignment, Federal Ministry of Health, Awka”, said Hon Okon Nyong Owuna, the Member representing Akamkpa 1 State Constituency.
According to the Akamkpa Lawmaker, Miss Ojong, who attended the College of Health Technology Calabar, has not been seen since then, and all efforts by her family and friends to trace her whereabouts have remained fruitless.
“The disappearance of Ojong has thrown her family into confusion, trauma, and grief, and the NYSC Anambra State authority has failed to take adequate steps to trace her whereabouts,” Owuna lamented.
In their separate contributions, the Lawmakers expressed their concerns over the disappearance of Ojong and called for an immediate investigation of the matter to ensure that the corps member is found wherever she is.
“The protection of lives and property remains the prerogative of the Federal Government. We urge the government to be responsive and rise to the challenge of investigating the disappearance of the Corps Member,” said one of the Lawmakers.
The Lawmakers further expressed empathy with the missing girl’s family while expressing hope that she would be found.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem, assured the House of the Assembly’s commitment to the matter, which he described as “very unfortunate.”
