Nigeria's House Of Representatives Drops Plan To Scrap One-Year National Youth Scheme

Nigeria's House of Representatives Committee on Youths has said there is no plan to scrap the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).

The chairman of the committee, Yemi Adaramodu, stated this in Abuja at an event on Thursday.

At the unveiling of nine books on the national youth corps and NYSC film to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the scheme, the lawmaker described the programme as the most successful national programme fostering unity in the country.

Recently, there have been debates in the national discourse about the relevance ofnthe scheme and it should be scrapped.

The scheme was set up by the Nigerian government in 1973 after the civil war to involve Nigerian graduates. The purpose of the one-year programme is to foster national unity.

A bill sponsored by Awaji-Inombek Abiante, which had scaled the second reading at the House of Representatives, questioned the relevance of the scheme at this period and called for its scrapping.

However, Adaramodu on Thursday said: “Anybody is free to sponsor a bill, but the Speaker and the rest of the House believe that the scheme has come to stay in Nigeria.

“The scheme is going nowhere and it is not the plan of the National Assembly to scrap it. I want to let you know that we’re with you and for you. We’re fully with you, we’re together.”

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule said there was no reason to abolish the NYSC, stressing that “just as there’s no price for security, there is also no price for unity, and the NYSC defines the unity of Nigeria”.

A former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), said the NYSC had exposed corps members to life-changing opportunities and impacted the nation positively, according to Daily Trust.

Gowon called on the Federal Government to think of ways to strengthen the scheme with funds.

He commended the NYSC for putting together works and data about the scheme as literature to enable the public read and have knowledge about it.

NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, said the scheme was m the most successful national programme established to address basic challenges that usually confront a developing nation and diverse society such as Nigeria.