The National Youth Service Corps has clarified why it didn’t select a project carried out by an aggrieved ex-corps member, Akinkunmi Oyelere, for the Honours Award.
Oyelere had acussed the NYSC of injustice, saying that his project was recommended for the Honours Award by the officials of the school where he carried out the project.
Oyelere’s Community Development Project was carried out while serving under the Ogun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Abeokuta South Local Government Area in 2019.
The ex-corps member had anticipated earning an honourary award over the developmental projects he carried out but was disappointed when he was not shortlisted
The Ogun State coordinator of NYSC, Belinda Faniyi, made the clarification on the controversy in a statement on Sunday.
The NYSC said the project of the ex-corps member, with the state code OG/18B/ 0065, did not merit the Honours Award.
Faniyi however described the ex-corps member’s project as innovative.
She said, “It is true that Mr. Akinkunmi Oyelere was a corps member who served from August 2018 to July 2019 in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Abeokuta. He embarked on only Personal Community Development Projects by training students of Lisabi Grammar School, Baptist Girls High School and Abeokuta Grammar School in craft and pottery.
Mr. Akinkunmi during his Service Year in Ogun State was a beneficiary of the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship training, where he further developed his skills in the area of craft and pottery.
“One of his innovations which he donated to the Scheme and he is being recognised for is a chandelier which he built out of used disposable cups. This artwork to date is displayed with his name at the NYSC Ogun State Skills Acquisition Centre Sagamu to promote and market his works.We want to set the records straight that NYSC is a dynamic and responsive organisation, which encourages corps members to develop their skills to become self-reliant and marketable and will not jeopardise any corps member’s chances for self-actualization.NYSC has a defined procedure and criteria for assessing and selecting corps members who distinguished themselves in the course of the Service Year for State Honours Award and this is not limited to personal Community Development Service alone.It is against this background that the ex-corps member Akinkunmi was not selected for the State Honours Award.”