It is reported that the house of Representatives is mulling scrapping the national Youth Service Corps (NYSC), as a bill to that effect is set for a second reading. The Federal Republic of Nigeria alteration bill 2020 is seeking to repeal the NYSC.
The sponsor of the bill Awaji-Inombek Abiaante, in the exploratory memorandum of the proposal, cited growing insecurity, killing of corps members and other issues as the main reason. NYSC scheme was established under degree no 24 on December 22, 1973 by the federal military government under the leadership of General Yakubu Gowon to rebuild Nigeria through a programme which was known as 3R’s.
The objective of the scheme are to enable Nigerian youths acquire the spirit of self reliance by encouraging them to develop skills for self employment, contribute to the accelerated growth of the economy, develop common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration.
Though the reasons adduced for the scrapping of the scheme are genuine, the scheme has enabled other ethnic groups to appreciate the complexity of the country’s cultural and religion identities.
It is unarguably that corps members are victims of insecurity in the country. Evidence abounds on how they continue to lost their precious lives in the course of their national assignment but notwithstanding the dangers, NYSC remains the only surviving legacies that promotes unity in diversity. What the scheme needs at this time is total reform to reflect the current realities.
Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua,
Kaduna state
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