The National Assembly has proposed a bill to scrap the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The bill titled ‘Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration Bill, 2020’ is sponsored by Hon Awaji Inombek Dagomie Abiante, a member of the House of Representatives representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in Rivers State.
In his justification, the lawmaker said that devoid of sentiments, the current happenings in the country do not support the NYSC scheme.
Among the reasons given are
- Kidnappings
- Killing of corps members
- Accidents
- General insecurity
- Labour exploitation of corps members by employers.
In his words, “The bill seeks to repeal Section 315(5)(a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) on the following grounds:
“Incessant killing 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.
“Public and private agencies/departments are no longer recruiting able and qualified Nigerian youths, thus relying heavily on the availability of corps members who are not being well remunerated and get discarded with impunity at the end of their service year without any hope of being gainfully employed.
“Due to insecurity across the country, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management now gives considerations to posting corps members to their geopolitical zone, thus defeating one of the objectives of setting up the service corps, which is developing common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration.”
The NYSC was established during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon on the 22nd of May 1973 under Decree 24 of 1973.
The aim was to promote national unity and integration after the Nigerian civil war which took place between July 6 1967 and January 15 1970.
The proposed bill has passed first reading.
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A very welcome development