THE ROLE OF NYSC IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

The NYSC was established to build a chain of developed and self-confident youths. The youths are educated not only to become strong-willed and determined, but to be able to relate with people irrespective of their social and cultural background. It is important to note that civic service is not a criterion for getting a job. But it gives the participants an edge over others who did not partake in such exercise; that is the skills acquired can be an advantage.  The scheme is created to foster national cohesion and integration, but that does not downplay its ability to educate and inculcate new skills in the participants.

The objective of the National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria is targeted at building complete citizens who can relate with one another without fear or favor and can be called to be a leader at any point in time. “The purpose of the Scheme is primarily to inculcate in Nigerian youths the spirit of selfless service to the community and to emphasize the spirit of oneness and brotherhood of all Nigerians, irrespective of cultural or social backgrounds” (Onwubiko, 2021).Through the NYSC community development service, corps members help improve or add value to a community. It is through this that the NYSC has contributed to the development of the Nigerian communities. Corps members have impacted positively on the various communities in their service to Nigeria.

Here are some benefits of NYSC community development service to the community;

·     1. Community development service has become an instrument of development and growth in many rural communities by providing essential amenities such as pipe-borne water, and clinics.

·      2. Community development service groups have also affiliated or collaborated with private and government agencies to add value to communities.

·     3. The community development service groups also work with law enforcement agencies, health personnel and non-governmental organizations to improve the lives of residents of every community.

There are three (3) major categories of Community Development Service (CDS) through which the NYSC enable corps members to develop their host communities. These are;

1.     1. Personal/Individual Community Development Service.

2.    2.Group Community Development Service (Group CDS).

3.    3. Community Development Service.

Personal/individual community development service entails projects/programs executed by individual corps members in their host communities based on community felt-needs. Corps members are encouraged in addition to the group CDS to look out for areas where they could make individual impact in the community. It could be construction projects like building of toilets, incinerators, bridges, classrooms, games facilities for schools or social/educational project such as establishment of ICT laboratory, school libraries, extra-mural classes, campaigns, charity work, vocational training for empowerment of unemployed youths etc.

Group community development service (Group CDS) involves projects/programs executed by groups of corps members.

Relevance of NYSC in Community Development

Projects and programs initiated, developed or executed by corps members have resulted in socio-economic development in various communities. Developmental projects include establishment of schools, building of libraries, construction of water projects, public toilets, sensitizations, and public enlightenment campaigns in various communities on issues like corruption, road safety, health safety, environmental hazards, management techniques, entrepreneurial skills, etc.

 Amos (2015) observe that through CDS groups like EFCC and ICPC in 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 curb corruption by identifying its dangers before taking the fight to the society. Also, Abdulazeez (2016) testify that corps members attached to Road Safety Group of Kwara State do public enlightenments in motor parks, traffic control exercises at selected junctions, and visit victims of motor accident in hospitals. Moreover, Ajayi (2016) notes that the NYSC Culture and Tourism CDS Group in Kwara State hadin2015,executedacultural program titled “Clean the Polluted Land” which had in attendance various community leaders, corps members and NYSC officials.

In the spirit 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 schools and also 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, organized quiz competition, train less privileged on entrepreneurial skills including baking of cakes, chin-chin, egg roll, among others.

All these are testimonies of the contributions of the NYSC in community development.

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 socio-economic development of various communities through its CDS component. Examples of projects like building of schools, construction of ICT center and library, construction of sporting facility, sensitization campaigns, etc. are clear indications of community development. It suffices to state, therefore, that the NYSC has played vital roles in development of the Nigerian communities through its various schemes, as communities have been benefiting from the activities of corps members, sometimes assisted by philanthropists, NGOs and other stakeholders.

NAME: Dada Joseph Miracle 

STATE CODE: OS/22C/1486