If the NYSC should stay
There have been arguments among a cross section of Nigerians on the necessity of the continued existence of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The federal government in 1973 established the NYSC with the main aim of enhancing national integration, and since then, it has thrived to fulfill its mandate through the compulsory one year […]
There have been arguments among a cross section of Nigerians on the necessity of the continued existence of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The federal government in 1973 established the NYSC with the main aim of enhancing national integration, and since then, it has thrived to fulfill its mandate through the compulsory one year service by young graduates.
But the service has often been criticised by some as being a waste of time for graduates who passed through tough times to complete their studies, only to face another hurdle called national service. Besides, youth corps members themselves have complained about being underpaid or not paid at all during their service year, and many are often rejected by organisations where they are posted for national service.
There are also reports of corps members being killed in their areas of national assignment. Amidst all these are complaints of extortion by corps members, only recently, President Muhammadu Buhari while receiving corps members during the Sallah celebration in Daura last weekend, expressed happiness with the NYSC, describing it as having succeeded in its pursuit of integrating the country. He said he was always pleased to see the NYSC achieving the purpose of national unity that inspired its creation.
The president also noted that graduates from the north who served in the southern states also learn a lot from the diversity that had made Nigeria a unique country. Other Nigerians, like the president, say the NYSC is currently playing a pivotal role in youth development, promotion of inter-tribal marriages for national unity and implementation of government policies.
If therefore the NYSC is to be sustained and maintained, the complaints against it including the difficult times graduates face in the course of national service, rejection by organisations including government establishments, extortion by officials, exposing of corps members to risk and even death, etc, should be looked into. In my candid opinion, the one year compulsory service should be modified into an all-embracing community or para-military service instead of the current method of posting corps members to offices.
If it is mainly for community service, the question of rejection would not arise, and the protection of corps members might be better enhanced since they would not work in isolation. Again, the involvement of married and pregnant women is another issue the federal government should address.
I feel the national service should be made optional for especially pregnant women since in their condition not many of them might be strong enough to carry out any meaningful duty. The government could also, in the light of the acute shortage of jobs in the country, modify the service in such a way that even after the one year compulsory service, those who fail to get jobs could be grafted into a national para-military scheme for community service with the payment of monthly allowances to keep them going. In such a way, the problem of complete idleness would not arise, and those who might be tempted to take to crime might avoid it.
The federal government should please try to carefully look into ways of strengthening the service if it opts to keep it going for the very reasons it was established.
Damian wrote in from Awka, Anambra State