By Maria Famakinwa
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Reactions have continued to trail the bill on the floor of the House of Representatives seeking to scrap the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration Bill, 2020, which is seeking to repeal the NYSC Act, is billed for second reading.
The NYSC scheme was set up in 1973 during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), to reconcile and rebuild the country after the Civil War to enable Nigerian youths acquire the spirit of self reliance by encouraging them to develop skills for self employment, contribute to the growth of the national economy, develop common ties among the Nigerian youths, promote national unity and integration among other benefits.
The bill was sponsored by a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker from Rivers State, Awaji-Inombeke Abiante. The lawmaker who argued that the NYSC has failed to address the essence of its establishment, while several reform efforts have also not yielded desired results, said, “For children of the rich, how many of them would want to go to Sokoto or Yobe? It is still the children of the poor that are sent to those places where they are butchered.
“There have been incessant killings 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 at their places of primary assignment and in transit. Public and private agencies are no longer recruiting able and qualified Nigerian youths, thus relying on the availability of corps members who are not well remunerated and get discarded with impunity at end of their service year without any hope of being gainfully employed.” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has kicked against the bill seeking to scrap the NYSC saying it has commenced move to reform the scheme. The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in his official Twitter page said that the NYSC is one of the greatest tools for national development for Nigerian Youths. Also, Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, CESJET, has condemned the move by the House of Representatives to scrap the NYSC. CESJET said the amendment of the 1999 constitution aimed at discontinuing the NYSC scheme is an evil plot against Nigerian youths.
The Hope spoke with some Nigerians on their views regarding the bill to scrap NYSC. In the submission of a youth Corps member, who just completed her mandatory one year service in the Western part of the country, Miss Nweke Bridget, she said that she supported the move of scrapping NYSC. According to her, if NYSC is crapped, Corps members’ safety would be guaranteed.
Her words: ”I want NYSC scrapped for safety reasons. Before our posting, my family members embarked on fasting and prayers for me not to be posted to the troubled part of the country. I thank God for prayer answered. Some of my friends who also prayed were not that lucky. They were posted to hostile states and completed their one year service in fear. Some of them got redeployment while others were denied.” she said.
Sharing a similar sentiment, another Corps member, who simply gave his name as John, also wants NYSC scrapped because of fear of being killed if posted to some states that see education as needless. He said,”The rising insecurity in the country puts the lives of serving Corps members in danger. Though the State I am posted was peaceful, that does not rule out the fact that Corps members are the first target in any chaos. My parents are always calling to find out how I was feeling. Thank God that I am through because not all Corps members posted return home. I want it scrapped,”he said.
In the submission of a parent and educationist, Mrs Titilayo Fadairo, she also supported the scrapping of NYSC scheme. She explained that a lot of the topmost government functionaries in Nigeria, including the President, Governors and members of both the Federal and State legislatures did not need an NYSC certificate of participation or exemption. “According to the 1999 constitution (as amended), aspirants to these offices don’t have to be holders of a university degree or a Higher National Diploma(HND).
“What then is the need for compulsory one year service that puts parents in palpable fear of their children’s safety? Have you forgotten that some Corps members were killed in the North years ago? These were avoidable deaths, if the scheme had earlier been scrapped. I wonder why it took our lawmakers this long to consider such a bill. With the situation of the country now, it is advisable to scrap NYSC.” she said.
Reacting differently, a Political scientist, Mr Adeolu Adewole, hinted that NYSC should not be scrapped because Nigeria needs national unity now more than ever as he observed that the problem of NYSC lies not in its mission but implementation. His words,” Scrapping the scheme will create massive unemployment because those working at the NYSC will be thrown into the already over saturated labour market.
“Instead of scrapping it, I will suggest that Corps members be posted within their geo-political zones because the major reason for sponsoring the bill to scrap the scheme was because of safety. The reasons for establishing the NYSC out weights the call for its scrap. Supporting the bill to scrap NYSC scheme will further compounded Nigerians woes.” he said.
Also an accountant, Mr Jonhson Ikumelo, opined that instead of scrapping the scheme, it should be turned to one year entrepreneurship for all Corps members, after which they would be given start up kits and capital.
His words,”NYSC should not be scrapped but Federal Government should change it to one year entrepreneurial programme for all serving Corps members where they will be trained on different skills depending on individual choice, after which they will be given N1million each to start up business based on the acquired trainings.
“For safety purpose, each training center should be established in each State capital by the Federal Government under the supervision of the State government. This will enable them to be self dependent and sufficient, instead of roaming around the streets after the one year mandatory service looking for unavailable white collar jobs.
“It will also go a long way to help solve the problems of unemployment and insecurity. It will also prepare serving Corps members ahead of future challenges and enable them to take leadership roles.” he said.