By Nkechi Eze
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its Community Development Service (CDS) initiatives as part of renewed efforts to respond effectively to emerging societal challenges and deepen the Scheme’s impact at the grassroots.
This was disclosed in an official statement signed by the Director, Information and Public Relations of the NYSC, Mrs. Caroline Embu, which noted that the Scheme is set to empower relevant officers with the requisite skills and tools to better guide Corps Members in identifying community needs, mobilising resources, and executing sustainable projects that directly improve the well-being of their host communities.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, made this known during a capacity-building training programme for CDS officers held in Abuja. The training, themed “Strengthening Community Development Service (CDS) for Sustainability in a Changing Society,” was designed to enhance the operational effectiveness of officers charged with supervising and coordinating community development activities nationwide.
Represented at the event by the Director of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Mr. Chukwu Chinwendu, the Director-General emphasised that the CDS programme has, over the years, remained central to the mandate of the NYSC. He explained that the programme provides a structured platform for Corps Members to contribute meaningfully to national development while promoting social cohesion, civic responsibility, and community ownership of development initiatives.
General Nafiu reaffirmed the Management’s commitment to continuous training and capacity development for CDS officers, describing it as a critical strategy for achieving sustainable community development outcomes across the country. He urged participants to fully engage with the training, exchange ideas, and replicate the knowledge gained in their respective formations, stressing that the long-term relevance of the NYSC depends largely on the tangible impact it makes in the lives of Nigerians.
He further underscored the importance of collaboration, encouraging CDS officers to actively engage traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, community development associations, and other opinion leaders to ensure that projects initiated by Corps Members are sustained beyond their service year.
Commending successive batches of Corps Members, the Director-General acknowledged their role in executing impactful, life-changing community development projects across the country, noting that such contributions have continued to reinforce the relevance and positive image of the NYSC Scheme.
Earlier in her remarks, the Acting Director of Community Development Service, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ajayi, described the CDS as a critical pillar of the NYSC programme, noting that it remains one of the most visible ways the Scheme touches the lives of ordinary Nigerians. She called on participants to take full advantage of the workshop, stressing that the training would significantly enhance their effectiveness and capacity to drive meaningful community-based interventions.
The capacity-building initiative reflects the NYSC’s broader vision of repositioning Community Development Service as a dynamic, responsive, and sustainable tool for national development in a rapidly changing society.
