ࡱ> dfc5@ W;bjbj22 \XX=3DXXXT,,XC2dd"BBBBBBB$DRFB^^^BC^.B^B'<C?X @0BXF=,B(C0XC=pGGXC?C?GW?lRTBB  NYSC AND THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL-THE JOURNEY SO FAR The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are development agenda set by world leader to address the disparity between the rich and poor countries as well as tackle the issues that boarders on sustainable development by 2015. The input in articulating the MDGs actually started since 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the Earth Summit which captured matters relating to the environment in the Agenda 21. Agenda 21, gives government a green light to legislate on a whole number of issues from the air we breathe to diversity; right to women, children and indigenous people; socio-economic cooperation and education; combating poverty; toxic chemicals and water quality; sustainable agriculture and much more. The 1995, Beijing conference provided the need for the inclusion of women in policy issues and their empowerment in all spheres of life. The aspect dealing on biodiversity, for example, recommends, among other things, that government: Develop national strategies for intervention Develop strategies for conservation and sustainable use of biological resources Take measures to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from research. Recognize and foster traditional methods and the knowledge of indigenous people. 189 world leaders came together in September 2000 during the UN summit in New York to adopt the millennium declaration. This was summed into eight millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which has eighteen targets and forty-eight measurable indicators .Unlike previous declarations, the MDGs are measurable, time bound and involve a compact between rich and poor countries. The goals include: 1.To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and women empowerment 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 5. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7.Ensure environmental sustainability and 8. Develop a global partnership for development. Goal 8 commits rich countries to deliver on aid, debt, trade, and technology transfer, while Goal 1-7 commit poor countries to put the right policies in place. After the meeting in New York, these leaders were to go back to their respective countries to develop their home grown poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) to address issues that are peculiar to them as it relates to the MDGs. Also, at continental level a policy paper to address the MDGs was to be put in place. In Africa, NEPAD document was prepared by the Africa Head of Government to take care of the continents developmental agenda. The New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) was adopted as the continents main development framework at a July 2001 summit meeting of African heads of state. According to NEPAD, attainment of Africans long-term development goals is anchored in the determination of African peoples to extricate themselves and the continent from the malaise of underdevelopment and exclusion in a globalizing world. It calls for a new relationship between Africa and international community, in which the non-African partners seek to complement Africas own efforts. The United Nations, Group of Eight industrialized nations and various donor countries have pledged to do so. For Africa to develop, argues NEPAD, three conditions must prevail: Peace, security, democracy and good political governance Improved economic cooperation Regional cooperation and integration. NEPAD further identifies several priority sectors requiring special attention and action: Physical infrastructure, especially roads, railways and power systems linking neighbouring countries Information and communications technology Human development, focusing on health, education and skills development. Agriculture Promoting the diversification of production and exports. Many of the required resources will initially need to come from outside the continent, although African governments are redoubling efforts to mobilize more domestic resources. Africa, states NEPAD recognizes that it holds the key to its own development. In 2001, after the Kuru Declaration in Plateau State, North-central-Nigeria, there was wide consultation at various levels to evolve the Nigerian road map to sustainable development-NEEDS NEEDS - National Economic Empowerment and Development strategy is Nigeria plan for prosperity. It is the peoples way of letting the government know what kind of Nigeria they wish to live in, now and in the future. It is the governments ways of letting the people know how it plans to overcome the deep and pervasive obstacles to progress that the government and the people have identified. It is also a way of letting the international community know where Nigeria stands-in the region and in world-and how it wishes to be supported. What kind of Nigeria do we want for ourselves, our children and the rest of the world? These questions were our starting point in creating a plan for prosperity. In the three years it took to develop NEEDS, a dedicated team traveled the country, holding meetings and workshops to identify what the Nigeria people want for the future, what problems they face, and what can be done to overcome them. NEEDS is the peoples plan. It is up to Nigerians, as well as the government to see that it is implemented. The main goals of the NEEDS document is wealth creation, employment generation, poverty reduction and value re-orientation. NEEDS is a medium term poverty reduction strategy paper designed to last for about four years i.e. NEEDS I; 2003-2007, NEEDS II; 2008-20011.The NEEDS document is meant to reach all level of government, the state, local and communities with SEEDS, LEEDS and CEEDS respectively. The coming of President Yaraduas administration in May, 2007, with its seven point agenda of making Nigeria the twenty largest economies in the world by 20-20, has tried to harmonize the 7-point Agenda with the NEED-II strategic framework in such a way that it fits into the vision his vision In Nigeria, The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a scheme introduced by the regime of General Yakubu Gowon in 1973, few years after the civil war with cardinal objectives of integrating and fostering the spirit of national, unity has done very well in every respect, apart from having a large pool of human resources present in all the 774 local government area of Nigeria; it has also contributed immensely to the empowerment of young people towards sustainable development. It has become a very strong and veritable force in implementing and achieving the MDGs in Nigeria. The present leadership of the NYSC led by Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga has played very important role in empowering corps members on the need to be agent in achieving the MDGs, NEEDS and President Yaraduas 7- point agenda within several local communities in Nigeria. In September 2006, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) instituted the Millennium Development Goals Advocacy Project (MAP) to build the capacity of corps members to become agent of change in their place of primary assignment with a view of building and strengthening the knowledge base of sustainable development at various communities in Nigeria. However, the Family and Community Life re-orientation (FACOR) and the Millennium Development Goals Awareness Creation (MAC) has been fused into one component, MDG Advocacy project(MAP),to carry out advocacy to major stakeholders within grassroot communities with the following objectives in mind: To strengthen the development knowledge base and information networks within communities. To enhance the capacity of communities to become active and effective in helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as their countrys own road map for development through their work at the local, state and community levels e.g. NEEDS, SEEDS, LEEDS and CEEDS. To improve the volunteers own livelihood opportunities through enhancing their training skills. To create opportunities for interactions between young people on issues of mutual concern such as HIV/AIDS, employment, environment and information technology. The NYSC/ MDG Advocacy Project has so far, delivered general sensitization seminars and in-depth training on MDGs and NEEDS at various NYSC orientation camps. In all, the one-day seminars have reached over 80,000 Corps members, with several thousands receiving the in-depth training that allows them to go into the communities where they are posted to train others as part of their community development service programme. These seminars present volunteers with the basics knowledge on the MDGs and NEEDS and help them to communicate this information to others. Volunteers have carried out step down training sessions in schools, places of worship; businesses, prisons etc. They have also found a receptive public as to learning how these initiatives relate to themselves and their communities. The NYSC has scaled up their program to include all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) since September 2006, with funds from the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Millennium Development Goals (OSSAP-MDG). Thus, this has trained several thousands of NYSC corps members as Development Knowledge Facilitators (DKFs) all over Nigeria. The project has in turn reached over 250,000 members of the NYSC community. Through this process over 14 million Nigerians have been sensitized on the MDGs and NEEDS. It has projected that by 2009, this awareness programme would have enabled at least 25 Million Nigerians to become informed participants in the implementation process. Actions: Creating a platform for advocacy and action to sensitize the community, religious and traditional leaders towards accepting the Millennium Development Goal Advocacy Project (MAP) within the communities. Mobilizing the Parents-Teachers- Association (PTA) towards creating a conducive environment for FACOR training in schools. Training and equipping community volunteers to be effectively vanguard of MAP to rural dwellers. sensitize and work through primary community health workers to implement FACOR program within their communities Training and use of community volunteers to sustain best practice Challenges There has been tremendous increase in youth restiveness and crime, thus the need to focus more on youth empowerment programmes. Poor understanding of government programme by communities and stakeholders. Inadequate supervision, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the programme. Inadequate parental care and breakdown of family values lack of commitment to effective implementation of policies/legislation High prevalence of moral decadence in the society. Prospects Better understanding of the MDGs, NEEDS and other community intervention programmes. Increased awareness of MAP in several communities in Nigeria. Increase in human resource capacity for the MAP. Value re-orientation that would lead to sustainable development Increase awareness of government policies at the grassroot level. Recommendations Better funding for NYSC/MDG advocacy Project Young people in agriculture programme Micro- credit financing Need of better community involvement MDG award for project on sustainable development by corps members Better Monitoring and Evaluation of the project Training of youth on entrepreneurship development Reviving the NYSC agricultural programmes Provision of non- interest revolving loans for corps volunteers to execute small scale project during and after serve year. Encouragement of stakeholders to be active players in establishment of skill acquisition centers for youth empowerment at grass root levels (Public Private Partnership) However, it is very imperative that sufficient amount of fund be made available to NYSC before the commencement of any orientation activities. The present number of corps members being trained on this project per orientation training is grossly inadequate. There is a need for incentives for corps volunteers to sustain their zeal and commitment. The NYSC must institute efficient monitoring and evaluation mechanism to track the impact of this project at the community levels. There is also a need to establish linkages with various State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (SEEDS), to promote better understanding of the program at grass root level. It is the duty of the National assembly to make sure that the NYSC is accountable for any fund given to them for this project. Finally, all major stakeholders must be commended for this initiative. Our president Alhaji Umaru Musa Yaradua must realize that, the need for youth empowerment must be taken seriously now, especially with the increasing level of youth violence and restiveness compounded by employment in many parts of our Nigeria. 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