Two eight-room corps member lodges have been unveiled in Awgbu, Orumba North LGA of Anambra State, as part of a strategic intervention by the Golden-20 Association to tackle the housing crisis faced by NYSC personnel. Located at Community Secondary School and Community High School, each block consists of four rooms, designed specifically for corps members deployed to teach in the area.
The association also commissioned a fully equipped borehole, modern toilets, and a renovated five-classroom block at Awgbu Grammar School to enhance the learning environment for both students and corps members. This infrastructure upgrade is part of a broader development initiative by the Golden-20 Association, a non-profit formed by indigenes of Awgbu committed to grassroots transformation.
Speaking at the commissioning event on Saturday, April 27, 2024, the association’s President, Chief Oliver Okoli, announced the award of 10 university scholarships, each valued between ₦800,000 and ₦1 million, for the 2024 academic session. He added that 10 former scholarship recipients under the 2019 scheme have now successfully graduated, describing it as a significant milestone in the association’s ongoing human capital investment.
Commending the group’s efforts, Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, described the projects as a benchmark for community-driven development. She noted that corps members play a critical role in plugging the teacher shortage in rural schools and confirmed that the state recently employed 8,115 teachers while upgrading 21 schools to smart school status. Plans are now underway to establish a smart school in Awgbu, she said.
Orumba North LGA Chairman, Capt. Casmir Nwafor (rtd.), used the occasion to announce his council’s intention to replicate the initiative by constructing additional corps lodges across the LGA. He called on traditional rulers and community heads to prioritize the safety of NYSC members, stressing that security is a prerequisite for attracting more postings from the NYSC scheme.
NYSC Anambra State Coordinator, Mrs. Pauline Ojisua, praised the association’s vision, assuring that the facilities will be immediately put to use and will encourage the NYSC headquarters to consider Awgbu for increased corps deployment. She urged serving youth corps members to show discipline and community spirit in return for the investment made in them.
Expressing gratitude during the cheque presentation, corps member Eucharia Nwobere and scholarship recipient Chisom Igbo both pledged to honour the trust placed in them through academic excellence and selfless service. The principal of Community Secondary School, Rev. Sr. Mary Nwafor, echoed their sentiments while appealing for the promised smart school to fast-track digital learning in the community.
