The Role of NYSC Scheme in Community and Rural Development
INTRODUCTION
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme was created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the economy after the Nigerian Civil War. It was established by decree No. 24 of 22nd May, 1973 which stated that it is being established “with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of National Unity” (NYSC, 2016).
Poverty, mass literacy, shortage of skilled manpower, inadequate socio-economic infrastructural facilities, disunity, intolerance, etc. are other conditions that plagued the country which necessitated the then Yakubu Gowon administration to rethink. The NYSC Community Development Service (CDS) is a year-round affair. It is one of the four (4) cardinal points of NYSC.
Through the CDS, members of the Service Corps work with the local communities to promote self-reliance by systematically prospecting and executing development projects and programme which impact positively on the socio-economic development of the host communities (2014). Members of the service Corps are called “Corps Members” originally and in principle or “Corpers” on a general note an informally.
Each Corps Member is compulsorily assigned to a particular CDS group as his/her Group CDS, while Personal CDS project/programme is optional for interested Corps Members. Group CDS is to be attended once in a week and the remaining four (4) days for Place of Primary Assignment. Place of Primary Assignment is the institutional attachment of Corps Members where they are expected to work like staff.
Meaning of National Youth Service Corps
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program set up by the Nigerian government to involve Nigerian graduates in nation building and the development of the country. There is no military conscription in Nigeria, but since 1973 graduates of universities and later polytechnics have been required to take part in the National Youth Service Corps program for one year. This is known as national service year.
Ahmadu Ali served as the first Director-General of the NYSC until 1975. The incumbent Director-General is Shuaibu Ibrahim. Major General Suleiman Kazaure was appointed director general of the NYSC on 18 April 2016, and served as the 17th DG of the scheme until his redeployment to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre on 26 April 2019. Until his appointment, Ibrahim, the new NYSC boss was the Registrar, Nigerian Army University, Biu in Borno State.
OBJECTIVES OF NYSC
The objectives of NYSC-CDS as spelled out in the Corps Members CDS handbook titled “ABCs of CDS” are as follows:
- Impacting positively on the improvement of rural community life.
- Developing the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Corps Members.
- To utilize the challenges which rural development poses and inculcate in the Nigerian Youth the ideals and capacities for leadership, endurance, selflessness, community service, national service, patriotism and creativity.
- Exposing Corps Members to diverse traditions and customs of the host communities.
- Providing the forum for Corps Members to experiment with ideas and translate them into concrete achievements thereby relying less on foreign technology and encouraging the use of local raw materials in the execution of projects.
- Harnessing the enormous talents and skills of Corps Members into an effective machinery of change in our rural communities.
- Providing on-the-job training and experience for Corps Members.
- Providing complementary service in our National development activities, by ensuring that our under-privileged population learns basic techniques for self-help through the appropriate technology concept being promoted by NYSC.
- To instill in Corps Members the tradition of dignity of labour and productivity.
- To complement the activities of government at all levels in the stride towards national development.
THE ROLE OF NYSC SCHEME IN COMMUNITY AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Projects and programmes initiated, developed or executed by Corps Members has resulted in socioeconomic development in various communities through establishment of schools, building of libraries, construction of water projects, public toilets, power sources, etc. Sensitizations, campaigns and public enlightenments were undertaken in various communities on issues like corruption, road safety, health safety, environmental hazards, management techniques, entrepreneurial skills, etc.
The youth Corps Members have with the trainings, seminars and workshops they had in and outside camp, been equipped with the mental and academic capacity to sensitize, inform, educate and execute projects and programmes to other Nigerians in their community of service.
Amos (2015) observed that with the CDS projects like EFCC and ICPC through which Corps Members carry out sensitization workshops, Nigerians are made better aware of the evils of corruption and can fight it to a grand halt. Through this approach, Corps Members stem corruption by identifying its dangers before taking the fight to the society.
In the aspect of community help, Abdulazeez (2016) testified that Corps Members attached to NYSC Road Safety Group of Kwara State does public enlightenments in motor parks, traffic control exercises at selected junctions, visits to traffic victims in hospitals, etc. By way promoting culture and tourism activities, Ajayi (2016) testified that the Culture and Tourism CDS Group of NYSC Kwara State had in 2015 executed a cultural programme titled “Clean the Polluted Land” which has in attendance various community leaders, Corps Members and NYSC officials.
In the act of giving back to the society, a Corps Member, Mr. Aladefa Moradeyo with state code number KW/15A/1626 donated a set of school uniforms to 100 pupils of Gaa Ayelabaowo Primary School, Oko-olowo, Ilorin, Kwara State on 7th March, 2016 (Kwara Kopa Magazine, 2016).
Konk Naija Media reported that Francis Okoye with state code number KW/12B/0069 delivers 2.5million Naira in CDS projects in Offa, Kwara State on the construction of a borehole and a billboard, donated 2000 writing materials to six primary schools, one hundred treated mosquito nets to 100 families, one hundred pairs of school sandals to five selected primary schools, one hundred West African Examination Council (WAEC) recommended novels (Blind Trust) and one hundred pens to one hundred SS1 students, organised quiz competition, train less privileged on entrepreneurial skills including baking of cakes, chin-chin, egg roll, among others.
Sir-Kenayo (2016) observed that Corps Members at Ota, Ogun State embarked on a sensitization and cleaning exercise titled “Operation Keep Ota Clean” in collaboration with Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency on the need of keeping environment clean. The exercise experienced a good turn-out with Corps Members picking all the dirt and keeping drainages clean. The topic they sensitized people on were; Global Warming; Effect of Illegal Dumping of Refuse; Air and Water Pollution; Health and Hygiene; and Recycling of Waste.
Adeniji Amos Oluwagbenga with state code number EK/14B/2540 was reported to have distributed 5,000 exercise books to students of Baptist High School, Amoye Grammar School, AUD Primary School and St. Louis Secondary School on 12th May, 22nd May, 26th May and 10th June, 2015 respectively, at Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State (Dowex, 2015). The Nation gathered on 18th March, 2016 that Okeke Stanley, Corps Member, built a bore hole and a well-stocked library at the Community Secondary school, Nkomoro, Ezza North, Ebonyi State. Vanguard, on 28th June, 2012 captured the efforts of four Corps Members – Otto Oronom Harmony, Oyelaja Olusola Olayenu, Emuveyan Tejiri and Amaeze Ugochukwu who served Lagos State in 2011/2012.
Otto donated hundreds of mosquito nets to hundreds of families in Makoko, 500 novel and books to under-privileged children, established Millenium Development Clubs in two (2) secondary schools and built rehabilitation home for ex-sex workers. Emuveyan’s work include a construction of bore hole for Taiwo Street – Idiabara, renovation of a classroom into a modern library for students of Golden Secondary School, donated 50 mosquito nets to different families on World Malaria Day, trained over 600 people in five different communities on the then MDGs.
In 2013, Corps Member Olusina Oluyemi Ololalde with state code number ZM/12B/0063 was reported by Saturday Tribune to have built a school in Garbadu village of Talatu-Mafara, Zamfara State, despite the prevailing insecurity in the state (Superclo, 2013). Information Nigeria further gathered that in an interview with Daily Trust, a Corps Member, Ime Anwana, was confirmed to have built a block of 40-bed hostel for Government Girls’ Secondary School, Kafin Koro, Paikoro, Niger State in 2012. Anwana was reported to have had an accident which caused her multiple fractures, but was later able to complete the project.
NYSC Rivers compiled a set of audible personal CDS projects/programmes in their bi-annual Rivers Kopa Magazine to include, Nnamani Deborah with state code number RV/15A/0826 marked a Zebra Crossing at GTC area, Trans-Amadi in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and also organized sensitization and demonstration seminar on the use of the pedestrian crossing for the students in the community.
In another school, Community Secondary School, Mogho, Gokana, Rivers State, Nwanaeto Chidebere with state code number RV/15A/1308 converted an abandoned classroom blocks to Information and Communication Technology centre an installed computers, furnished the centre with tables and chairs. Mbuk David Effanga with state code number RV/15A/0950 constructed a volleyball pitch to improve sporting activities at Community Secondary School, Obelle-Emohua, Rivers State He also organized inter-school football tournament for students in Ebele-Alimini, Rumuji and Obelle communities.
SOCIAL ISSUES
The term social issues refer to the various topics and problems that are connected with the society and the people in it. Genuine development cannot occur if these issues are ignored. Social issues also encompass the educative aspects of the community development activities of corps members. Social issues include child healthcare and disease prevention, malnutrition, poverty alleviation, women and youth empowerment, mass literacy/adult literacy, patriotism, charity work for social welfare, as well as social vices – cultism, truancy, bribery and corruption, kidnapping, murder, armed robbery etc.
There are various means through which the knowledge of community members on social issues can be improved. These include the construction of billboards and signposts for public enlightenment, the mass media (radio, television, and newspapers), the internet, as well as organized workshops, seminars, and events. The corps members of NYSC have used such means over the years to educate the public on social issues.
CONCLUSION
It is a clear fact that NYSC doesn’t only empower the youths as one of its objectives. It has also been impacting in the socioeconomic development of various communities through its CDS component. Examples of projects like building of schools, construction of ICT centre and library, construction of sporting facility, sensitization campaigns on environmental hazards and road safety, etc. are clear indications of community development.
Thus, the study maintained that CDS scheme of NYSC is highly relevant in community development as various instances showed that different communities have been benefiting from the efforts of Corps Members with sense of purpose and unity, sometimes assisted by philanthropists, NGOs and other stakeholders.
REFERENCE
Abdulazeez, S.T. (2016). “Importance of National Youth Service”.Kwara Kopa Magazine. 2015 Batch A. NYSC Kwara: Press and Public Relations Unit
Amos, V. (September 3rd, 2015). “Role of the National Youth Service Corps on National Development”. Accessed from The Ink Newspaper Online: http://theinknewspaper.blogspot.co.ke./2015/09/role-of-national-youth-service-corps.html?m=1
Anioke, O. (March 18th, 2016). “Corps Member Honoured for Donating Borehole, Library”. Accessed from The Nation: http://www.thenationonlineng.net/corps-member-honoured-donatingborehole-library/
Arenyaka, L. (June 28th, 2012). “NYSC Lagos State Honours Award: A Tale of Four Corps Members”. Accessed from Vanguard: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/06/nysc-lagos-statehonours-award-a-tale-of-four-corps-members
National Youth Service Corps. (2015). “ABCs of Community Development Service”. NYSC National Headquarters, Abuja: Press and Publicity Unit.
