Will FG Scrap NYSC?

The federal government had set up a committed to advise it on the need to reform the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports.

Accordingly to the news agency, the Committee has been inaugurated on Tuesday by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The Reform Committee is expected to review existing policy documents and propose comprehensive reforms to ensure the scheme remains effective and responsive to current national needs, the federal government said.

Speaking, the Minister stated that the Scheme has played a vital role in promoting national unity since its inception 52 years ago.

Olawande said the NYSC now requires refocusing in line with the nation’s current needs and realities, adding that this is more so considering the challenges posed to the schemes, such as the safety of corps members, inadequate infrastructure, and financing.

The Minister said the Committee is expected to recommend legal, policy, and institutional reforms, including improved funding and monitoring frameworks to the federal government.

“Today signifies an important step forward in our collective journey to improve one of Nigeria’s most valuable national institutions dedicated to unity, empowerment, and development,” Olawande said.

Adding that, “As the nation advances, we must improve the institutions that support its development.

“While the NYSC has made remarkable progress, it also faces significant challenges, particularly concerning the safety of corps members, infrastructural deficits, and questions about the scheme’s relevance in a changing socio-economic landscape.

“The committee will also review existing policy documents, laws, and reports guiding the NYSC; engage in consultations with stakeholders nationwide; and recommend legal, policy, and institutional reforms, including improved funding and monitoring frameworks.

“A comprehensive report is expected to be submitted to the Minister of Youth,” Olawande stated.

The Scheme was set up under the General Yakubu Gowon-led military regime in 1973, few years after the end of the Nigerian bloody Civil War, as an instrument to  foster unity in the country.

Not a few Nigerians have however called for the modernisation of the NYSC to reflect the current situation in the country. Others have called on the federal government to scrap the Scheme, saying it has lost its relevance, particularly following the constant abductions of  NYSC members in some part of the country.