The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its Community Development Service (CDS) initiatives to address emerging societal challenges across the country.
The Scheme said it is set to empower relevant officers with the tools needed to guide Corps Members in identifying community needs, mobilising resources and executing impactful projects that will improve the well-being of their host communities.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this at a capacity building training for CDS officers held in Abuja.
The training was themed “Strengthening Community Development Service (CDS) for Sustainability in a Changing Society.”
Represented at the event by the Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Mr. Chukwu Chinwendu, Nafiu said the CDS programme has remained central to the NYSC mandate over the years, providing Corps Members with a platform to contribute meaningfully to national development while promoting social cohesion and grassroots engagement.
He reaffirmed Management’s commitment to continuous training of CDS officers as a strategy for achieving sustainable community development.
The NYSC Director-General urged participants to actively engage in the workshop, share experiences and step down the training in their respective formations, noting that the future relevance of the Scheme depends largely on its impact on the lives of Nigerians.
While stressing the importance of collaboration, Nafiu encouraged CDS officers to work closely with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, community development associations and other opinion leaders to ensure the sustainability of projects executed by Corps Members.
He also commended successive batches of Corps Members for executing life-changing community development projects, noting that their contributions have continued to enhance the relevance of the NYSC.
Earlier, the Acting Director of Community Development Service, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ajayi, described CDS as a critical component of the Scheme and urged officers to fully utilise the workshop, saying it would significantly enhance their effectiveness in the discharge of their duties.