Despite approved infrastructural projects, Ondo NYSC camp overcrowded, corpers lament

In June 2023, Adeyemi Muktar, a batch C stream 2 corper at the Ondo Camp, received the news of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posting at around 9 p.m. and was enthusiastic to begin serving his fatherland.

He says this happiness was, however, cut short when he got to the camp, as he was confronted with overcrowding and poor ventilation, which led to his contracting illness.

“At the hostels, many of us were sharing bunks or even sleeping on the floor, meal times were a nightmare, there was never enough food to go around, and the dining hall was always overcrowded. The training and activities were severely impacted.

”We needed more space for drills and exercises, which made it difficult for everyone to participate fully. The lectures and seminars were held in halls that could only accommodate some of us, so many corpers had to stand outside or miss out entirely. It was frustrating because we all wanted to make the most of the camp experience, but the conditions made it nearly impossible,” he said.

This dire condition of the hostel has affected every aspect of the corpers’ daily routine as the hostels are packed beyond capacity. Like him, many corpers often experience overcrowding and suffocation.

Corroborating Mr Muktar, Miracle Abiodun, a Batch A stream 2, 2022 at the camp, explained that there was ”population congestion”.

”In my room, we were like 70-80 people in a hall. Two people per bunk, there were 45-48 bunks, and we were about 90 in one hall; overcrowding was a very big problem that we experienced.

“The toilets were not maintained either, but many make a mess of it by using them without cleaning them. Corpers are expected to wash and keep them clean, but many won’t.”

A toilet with a heap of poo

Deplorable state

Taiwo Abidemi, a batch b stream 2 corper at the Ondo Camp, explained how bad toilets caused him to have a toilet infection, which he had to treat after the training, and how overcrowded the camp was.

“I had infections when I left camp, and I had to spend huge amounts on drugs to treat it. I was happy I noticed the infections quickly; that was why I wasn’t affected or hospitalised. I had rashes on my bum and urinary parts for a while, but I treated and protected my health,” Mr Abidemi explained.

”Also, the hostels are not very nice, but we only managed since it was only a couple of weeks, and the toilet isn’t nice at all nor hygienic.”

Research shows that Ikare Akoko NYSC Camp toilets in Ondo State are filthy and unhygienic.

“The sanitary space is an eyesore. Many who serve there had to bathe outside very early, around 4:30 a.m. and late at night before lights out,” Mr Abidemi added.

Intervention

In 2022, N6 million was budgeted to build hostel facilities for corpers at the NYSC camp.

Also, in 2021, N2 million was budgeted for the same purpose. The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development approved it. However, the Camp Hostel remains dilapidated and congested years later, causing inconvenience among the corpers.

Based on the state budget obtained by UDEME, it was expected that the project would have been completed two years ago.

When interviewed, Yahya Owati, a security man at the camp, said the camp can only cater for a few persons ideally.

“The authorities only tend to accept a few people which the hostel can contain and will reject corpers if the hostel is full,” he said.

Another gateman, Lawal Aruna, said no construction or rehabilitation had taken place in the camp.

“As for me, I have not seen any contractors come and build any camp, but the corpers will just manage for three weeks.”

Officials speak

The camp manager, who only gave his name as Mr Odunlami, revealed that the state government had only renovated the hostel roof and had yet to build any new hostels.

“The entire red roof pan was renovated because some were leaking. It is an old building, and there’s no new infrastructure in this camp”, he said.

When asked about a small building the reporter noticed at the camp, which was commissioned by the former state coordinator, Nnenna Ani, he explained that ”the NYSC built it and not the state government; the state government only renovated it”.

“They just built this one around the year 2023, and there was no hostel when the other set came. This new one is being used by the officials which the former State coordinator built”.

The Ondo State NYSC coordinator, Sam Amaramiro Pepple, said the last time a hostel was built at the Ondo State NYSC orientation camp Ikare was ”years ago”.

“I’m barely just a few weeks here; Mrs Nnenna just left, so I can hardly speak about a new building, but I know that there hasn’t been a hostel built around 2022 to date; I am not aware of any contractor coming to check for new buildings at all.

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”There’s a small building at the back of the state coordinator’s house, which she initiated (Mrs Nnenna Ani). It was supposed to be for the staff in the camp because there’s not enough for them, and we have a market there where people come and get stuff, too,” he said.

An FOI seeking information was delivered to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, but a response is yet to be received. Efforts to get the contractors’ details for this project were futile.

This report was done with funding from the Centre for Journalism and Innovation Development (CJID)