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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Corpers lament water, power scarcity in Oyo camp

From The Punch · (5m ago) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Corps members at the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in Oyo State, Nigeria, are experiencing severe water and power shortages.
  • Participants report difficulties maintaining hygiene and attending programs due to inconsistent water and electricity supply.
  • NYSC officials acknowledged the power issue but disputed claims of water scarcity, stating measures are in place to ensure water provision.

The living conditions at the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in Iseyin, Oyo State, have become a significant concern for the 2026 Batch A Stream II corps members. Since their arrival last Wednesday, these young Nigerians have been grappling with erratic power supply and a persistent scarcity of water. This situation has made it increasingly difficult to maintain basic hygiene, with some corps members reporting that they have had to attend official programs without bathing due to the unpredictable water availability.

The situation has not been nice at all. We’ve been experiencing an erratic power supply since we came last Wednesday, and there has been a challenge with the water supply.

— Corps memberDescribing the living conditions at the NYSC orientation camp in Oyo State.

The corps members expressed their frustration, highlighting that the inconsistent utilities are impacting their daily routines and overall well-being. There are also concerns about the lack of open communication, with allegations that NYSC officials warned participants against posting complaints online. This has created an environment where many feel reluctant to voice their grievances openly, fearing repercussions.

Sometimes, we attend programmes without taking a bath because we may be alerted to programmes while still waiting for water, and you have no choice but to join the programmes.

— Corps memberExplaining the impact of water scarcity on daily routines.

While the Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Kayode Peters, acknowledged the challenge of erratic electricity supply, he refuted the claims of water scarcity. He stated that water is pumped regularly, even using generators to compensate for power outages, to ensure the comfort of the corps members. However, the experiences shared by the corps members suggest a significant gap between the official response and the reality on the ground. This recurring issue of poor welfare conditions in orientation camps across Nigeria underscores a systemic challenge that needs urgent attention from the NYSC management.

It is becoming a challenge to maintain proper hygiene, especially among female corps members.

— Corps memberHighlighting the hygiene challenges faced due to water scarcity.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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