A Day in an NYSC CDS Group: ICPC

A Day in an NYSC CDS Group: ICPC – Independent Corrupt Practices Commission

Today, I would love to take you on a trip to another NYSC CDS group. That would be ICPC – Independent Corrupt Practices Commission.

Many love this CDS group for the idea behind it and not for the process in it. It carries the idea of sensitizing the public on the cankerous menace of corruption, eating off our country and analyzing the effects and aftermath of these corrupt practices.

I would be describing the NYSC CDS group from the viewpoint of one of such CDS groups in Ogun state.

CDS group:            ICPC – Independent Corrupt Practices Commission

Mission Statement:   To educate communities around them about the value of living a corrupt free and assisting them in understanding the role of ICPC in ridding Nigeria of corruption through lawful enforcement and preventive measures.

Vision statement a Nigeria free from all forms of corruption and corrupt practices.

opening of meetings

Meetings here start at 10.00 am. At this time, e-corp members are expected to be settling down for the meetings to start. The president, at this time, stands to welcome the group. He then calls for the singing of the national anthem,m which is heartily followed by the NYSC anthem. A prayer is then said. Everybody then sits for the meeting to formally start.

The secretary is then called to come and read the minutes of the last meeting. After reading the minute,s if there is any object,r the floor is given to him to make his claim. Given no more corrections, someone motions to adopt the minutes read and is seconded by another fellow.

Important matters concerning the group are then talked about. If there is any training or education on the practices of the ICPC, it is then carried on.

If there should be an outdoor activity for the day, the group moves out to carry it out.

INDOOR meetings

It appears most often that nothing much is carried out here. It is here that ICPC inculcates integrity training into the corp members so that they can spread anti-corruption messages to the grassroots. This includes much talking on how the ICPC carries out their activities, and weeks before the training is already exhausted, so there is not much to train on after that.

Any matter belonging to financial expenses, social activity, and outdoor activities planning is also discussed. Apart from that,t it is just normal chatting and making friends.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

as understood,d corruption in Nigeria undermines democratic institutions, retards economic development and contributes to government instability. Nigeria’s corruption level has attacked the foundation of our democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law, and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existence is the soliciting of bribes.

To be able to fight that,t we all need to put our hands and heads together and be determined to root it out one after the other in each of us. The club’s duty to its host community is to educate and sensitize them on these matters in their little way to support the goals of the ICPC.

This sensitizing activity includes driving and patrolling the roads with large banners and creating awareness in different ways to the public.

Read: NYSC Community Development Service

Closure of Meeting

“Is there anyone who has any other matter to be discussed? The CLO would demand.

“If there is none let someone go for the adjournment of this meeting.”

Someone rises and says, “I KW/15A/3564 move for the adjournment of this meeting.”

“I KW/14B/2176 second’, hurriedly goes another group member.

OFFICIALS/ROLES

The officials found in a certain Education group that I located are as follows:

President/CLO: takes charge during meetings and every other group affair.

Secretary: writes the minutes of the meeting and calls the attendees and the permission of absentees.

Vice Secretary: assists the secretary in his duties and replaces him when absent.

Financial Secretary: collects and keeps financial records

Sports Director: oversees matters concerning sporting activities of the CDS group.

PAYMENT OF DUES/FINESWhiles payment of monthly dues is important for every CDS group; there seems to be little attention to the payment of fines in Ogun that I visited. Upon asking, the following is the list of dues and fines I collected:

Monthly dues – N100

Absenteeism from CDS – N100

The lateness of the meeting – N100

BENEFITS

Certain benefits that corp members can have in this group include:

• Getting closer to the host community
• Contributing and fostering public support in the fight against corruption.
• Having a sense of accomplishment.
• To be adequately equipped to advise, instruct, officer, agency, or parastatal on how corruption can be eliminated or reduced by them.
• To serve as a good recommendation during a job search.

That is as much as we can take on this CDS group. I think this would give you a better idea of what ICPC looks like and maybe plan on how to contribute to your quarter if you found yourself in that CDS group.

At www.awajis.com/nysc, we are dedicated to assisting you and giving you all the info you need as you go through your service year. I hope to see you on another page of our articles on this blog. Thank you for being here.