News

NYSC Recommits To National Development through CDS

Published

3 years ago

October 24, 2023

Joel Ajayi

The National Youth Service Corps has restated that it would ensure more contributions to national development through the execution of laudable projects by Corps Members that would improve the living standard of rural dwellers across the country.

It said Community Development Service (CDS) was designed to galvanize the enormous potential of graduate youths and generate community interest towards national development.

The NYSC Director General, Brigadier General YD Ahmed stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while declaring open the 2023 Community Development Service Schedule Officers’ Workshop.

Speaking through the Director, of Community Development Service and Special Projects, Hajiya Zainab Isah, General Ahmed said NYSC would continue to utilize the challenges posed by rural development and inculcate in graduate youths, the ideals of patriotism and endurance, selflessness, community and national capacities for leadership, efficiency, and creativity.

He added that the Scheme would continue to showcase more initiatives in education, infrastructure, healthcare delivery, agriculture, economic empowerment, and above all national consciousness and socio-cultural regeneration.

General Ahmed said the continued relevance of the National Youth Service Corps is no doubt, largely predicated on the strength and capacity of the Community Development Service program to impact more on the lives of Nigerians, especially, the rural dwellers.

He also said the workshop would be used to brainstorm on possible ways of enhancing the CDS program, to enable the Scheme to contribute more to national development and assist the nation in measuring up with the global trends of emerging economies.

In her introductory address, the Director, of Community Development Service and Special Projects, Hajiya Zainab Isah, whose address was read by a Deputy Director, Mrs Grace Bamai said the CDS Schedule Officers’ Workshop is an annual event geared towards enhancing staff competency for greater productivity.

She said the workshop would also broaden the horizon of the Schedule Officers and equip them with the requisite knowledge for more effective service delivery.

Hajiya Izah said this year’s edition of the workshop, with the theme; “Rejigging NYSC Community Development Service for National Development”, would help the Scheme to review the CDS programme with strategies to repositioning it for greater contribution to national development, which is imperative for sustaining the Scheme’s relevance.

The Director commended the Schedule Officers for their remarkable efforts in guiding Corps Members in the execution of personal and group CDS projects.

“It is on record that the execution of quality and impact-felt projects and collaborative partnership activities owed their successes to their dedication to duty”, she said.

Share on Facebook

News

AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs

Published

8 hours ago

October 25, 2026

The Gleamer

By James Samuel, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.

This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.

Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.

“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.

“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”

He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.

“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.

He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.

According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.

“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.

She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.

“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.

The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.

The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.

Share on Facebook