The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Shuaibu Has jettisoned the move by the House of Representatives to scrap the NYSC scheme, saying that its relevance in integration and national cohesion must not be underestimated. The DG who spoke on Wednesday in his office in Abuja stated that the NYSC has been a useful tool for the socio-economic development of the country through the deployment of corps members to states outside their base where they contribute in many ways to the lives of residents of their host communities.
“NYSC is not a waste of time, wherever corps members are posted to, they have been adding value in order to be remembered with good legacies,” Ibrahim said.
The House of Representatives through a bill sponsored by Awaji-Inombek Abiante of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is currently is seeking to scrap the scheme, and the bill has already passed the first reading.
Abiante called for the discontinuation of the scheme, claiming that it has failed to achieve its intended purpose and has led to the untimely death of some corps members who were posted to areas with serious security threats.
Reacting, the DG NYSC said the scheme has partnered with security agencies to ensure adequate protection for corps members during their service year.
He noted that corps members are always sensitized during their orientation course on the importance of being security conscious while in their host communities.
“Security is everybody’s business and security challenge is not limited to NYSC alone”, lbrahim said.
“We want to appeal to parents to help us also sensitize their children not to endanger their safety. Every country has challenges but we should turn our challenges into opportunities.”
Ibrahim added that the NYSC’s posting and deployment policy is based on strict guidelines and regulations.
“Posting, redeployment, and other services are free in NYSC. Relocation is done on health and marital grounds with genuine reasons”, he said.
“Parents should teach their children to be patriotic and have human feelings. Let the spirit of NYSC be in use for the betterment of our country.”
Speaking on youth empowerment, the Director-General noted that the NYSC Management in 2012 introduced Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme into Orientation Course Content which has enabled thousands of Corps Members to acquire vocational skills.
He further stated that the partnership between the Scheme and its stakeholders like the Bank of Industry, Central Bank of Nigeria, Access Bank among others, has provided opportunities that offer soft loans to Corps Members which has transformed many of them to employers of labor and wealth creators today.
The DG also reiterated his call for the establishment of the National Youth Service Trust Fund where a certain percentage of the proceeds from private organizations would be used to upgrade and maintain Orientation Camp facilities.
He said the proceed from the Trust Fund will enable Corps Members to get a certain amount at the end of their service year to start their business vocations.
He commended the State Governments that have been performing their statutory responsibility of the provision, maintenance, and upgrade of camp facilities while calling on others lagging behind to be alive to their responsibilities.
The NYSC DG advised corps members to utilize their service year judiciously and impact their host communities.