*The Federal Government has stated the dynamic reforms and initiatives to match the National Youth Service Corps with current realities are ongoing, and that Nigeria will stand with its youth

Emmanuel Akosile | 绿帽献妻

As some stakeholders and legislators are contending that the youth-oriented scheme should be scrapped as it has failed to address the essence of its establishment, the Federal Government of Nigeria has kicked against the bill seeking to scrap the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the country.

Mr. Sunday Dare, Honourable Minister for Youth and Sports, who stated this in a post via his verified Twitter account Wednesday, May 26, 2021, that 鈥渢he NYSC scheme remains one of the greatest tools for National development for our youth.

鈥淭he commitment of the government to sustaining the NYSC scheme remains.

Mr. Sunday Dare, Honourable Minister for Youth and Sports

The Minister said the dynamic reforms and initiatives to match the scheme with current realities are ongoing, and that Nigeria will stand with its youth.

President Muhammadu Buhari administration has remained committed to sustaining it, stated Dare.

He also assured that the government has started making moves to reform the scheme.

Recall that the scheme recently came under heavy criticisms following the deteriorating security situation negatively affecting certain serving youth Corps members across the country.

It was learnt Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State, recently sponsored a bill towards the scrapping of the NYSC scheme, which has reached the second reading in the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja, FCT.

The Federal legislator is proposing to use the Bill to amend Section 315 (1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Hon. Abiante debated that the youth scheme should be scrapped because the scheme has failed to address the essence of its establishment.

According to him, the NYSC has continued to be a drain on the country鈥檚 scarce resources and exposed families to several nightmares, and even the loss of loved ones after so much investment.

He further contended that 鈥渄ue to insecurity across the country, the National Youth Service Corps Management now give considerations to posting Corps members to their geopolitical zone, thus defeating one of the objectives of setting up the service corps, i.e., developing common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration.

鈥淢any Corps members are being used by their employers for jobs that have no bearing on the skills acquired at institutions of higher learning, thus making them unemployable after their service year.鈥�

绿帽献妻 reports the NYSC scheme is a mandatory one-year National Service for Nigerian graduates who have bagged their First Degrees before turning 30.

Gen. Yakubu Gown (Rtd.) Military Administration created the scheme May 22, 1973, to foster unity among Nigerians after the Civil War.