Ten months after Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, promised to construct a 2,000-bed hostel accommodation for members of the National Youth Service Corps NYSC, deployed to the state, the project is yet to commence, leaving corps members and NYSC officials grappling with persistent accommodation challenges.
The governor had, on December 10, 2025, approved the construction of two hostel facilities with a combined capacity of 2,000 beds for corps members serving in the state.
The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Batch C orientation course for corps members deployed to Rivers State, held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Nonwa-Gbam Tai.
Under the governor’s directive, one hostel block with a capacity of 1,000 beds was earmarked for male corps members, while another 1,000-capacity facility was proposed for female corps members.
The approval was welcomed at the time as a major intervention that would help address the accommodation deficit at the NYSC camp and improve the welfare of corps members deployed to the state.
However, ten months after the promise was made, there is still no visible sign of construction at the proposed site.
The delay has become a source of concern for NYSC officials, particularly against the backdrop of the increasing number of corps members deployed to Rivers State for the national service programme.
The rising population of corps members has continued to place pressure on existing accommodation facilities, making the need for additional bed spaces increasingly urgent.
The State NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Moses Oleghe, expressed concern over the situation and appealed to the state government to take immediate steps towards fulfilling the governor’s commitment.
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Oleghe called on Governor Fubara to approve the release of funds for the immediate commencement of construction of the two proposed hostel blocks.
According to him, “the additional accommodation would go a long way towards easing the pressure on existing facilities and providing corps members with better living conditions during their period of national service.
“The increasing number of corps members being deployed to Rivers State has made the construction of the proposed facilities more pressing.
“The project, if completed, will significantly address the accommodation shortage and provide a more conducive environment for corps members during their service year.”
Oleghe therefore urged the state government to move swiftly from the initial approval of the project to actual implementation, noting that the welfare of corps members should remain a priority.
“We are appealing to the governor to approve the release of money for the immediate commencement of the 1,000-capacity hostel each for male and female Corps Members.”
The proposed project is expected to provide 2,000 additional bed spaces, with equal accommodation capacity for male and female corps members.
For NYSC officials, the project represents more than an infrastructure development. It is seen as an important welfare intervention capable of reducing the accommodation difficulties experienced by corps members and improving conditions at the orientation camp.
The governor’s December 2025 promise had created expectations among NYSC officials and corps members that the accommodation deficit at the camp would soon be addressed. But with the project yet to move beyond the approval stage, those expectations remain largely unmet.
Until then, the accommodation challenge remains an unresolved issue for the Rivers State NYSC scheme.
