NYSC laments poor state of orientation camp facilities

Director General of the scheme, Brid-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, made the disclosure in his welcome address at a meeting of NYSC top management with representatives of State governments in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that though some States deserve commendations for upgrading facilities in the orientation camp and establishment of NYSC State Governing Boards and LGA Committees and payment of state allowances of corps members, others are however lagging behind.

The DG said that lack of permanent orientation camps, obsolete or inadequate facilities in the camps, lack or shortage of corps lodges, inadequate office accommodation and non-release of the statutory state subvention to the NYSC Secretariats are still faced in such states.

Speaking at the workshop with the theme: ‘strengthening stakeholders support for NYSC Grassroots development initiatives for greater impact’, the DG said that the intervention of NYSC in community development is deliberately designed to be participatory in nature, with the corps members identifying needs, proffering solutions and mobilising the community to provide resources for execution of planned projects.

“I am pleased to report that since the last meeting, a number of states have shown greater commitment to their statutory obligations of NYSC. We have witnessed increased interventions in areas such as the upgrade of facilities in orientation camp, establishment of NYSC State Governing Boards and LGA Committees as well as payment of state allowances of corps members, among others.

“Therefore, I use this opportunity to express gratitude to the affected states for their support with the hope that they will maintain the tempo. On the other hand, there are states and local governments whose performance leaves much to be desired.

“Problems such as lack of permanent orientation camps, obsolete or inadequate facilities in the camps, lack or shortage of corps lodges, inadequate office accommodation and non-release of the statutory state subvention to the NYSC Secretariats are still faced in such states. I appeal to those in this category to show more commitment to providing the enabling environment for smooth conduct of our operations,” the DG noted.

On the trust of the workshop,  Brid-Gen said: “One of the major issues this meeting will focus on is reinvigoration of the NYSC grassroots development activities. Those familiar with our operations will attest to the fact that successive batches of corps members have always worked with host communities to address their needs through execution of projects that have now dotted the entire landscape of the country.

“The intervention of NYSC in community development is deliberately designed to be participatory in nature, with the corps members identifying needs, proffering solutions and mobilising the community to provide resources for execution of planned projects.

“The assence of community participation is to instill in the people the culture of self-help as well as the development of sense of ownership of social amenities provided for them,” he said.

Strengthening the complaint that some States did not do well in upgrading the camp facilities, the representative of the Chairman of the NYSC governing board, Dayo Ajibola, claimed that the Southwest states are the most culprits.

“I am from the South-west, Ibadan, Oyo state to be precise and I can tell you that the Soutnwest states are the worst in this neglect of camp facilities,” he said.

The representative of the FCT Minister, an Acting Secretary Area Council Secretariat, Omolona Onanipeku, renewed his appeal for support to the scheme.

“I wish to renew my appeal to all stakeholders to continue to support the NYSC for the successful discharge of its mandate. On our part, the FCT Administration will not relent in discharge our statutory responsibilities to the scheme, especially through the upgrade of the NYSC orientation camp as well as security and other welfare provisions for corps members,” she said.