The National Youth Service Corps is likely on its way out as the House of Representatives is considering its discontinuation on account of several challenges bedeviling the scheme.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration Bill, 2020, which is seeking to repeal the NYSC Act, is set for its second reading at the House.
The bill is sponsored by Mr Awaji-Inombek Abiante. In the explanatory memorandum of the proposal, he lists the reasons for which the scheme should be scrapped.
“This bill seeks to repeal Section 315(5)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended) on the following grounds:
“Incessant killing of innocent corps members in some parts of the country due to banditry, religious extremism and ethnic violence; incessant kidnapping of innocent corps members across the country;
“Public and private agencies/departments are no longer recruiting able and qualified Nigerian youths, thus relying heavily on the availability of corps members who are not being well-remunerated and get discarded with impunity at the end of their service year without any hope of being gainfully employed;
“Due to insecurity across the country, the National Youth Service Corps management now gives considerations to posting corps members to their geopolitical zone, thus defeating one of the objectives of setting up the service corps, i.e. developing common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration.”
NYSC was established by the military regime under the leadership of General Yakubu Gowon on May 22, 1973.
Established under Decree No. 24 of that year, the scheme was to serve as a means of reconciling and reintegrating Nigerians after the civil war between July 6, 1967, and January 15, 1970.
Under the scheme, Nigerians who graduate from the universities are posted to states other than theirs to offer service to the country for one year. The scheme has since undergone various alterations. Currently, only graduates of local and foreign universities who are aged 30 years and below are qualified for the service.
