NYSC at 47
A couple of days ago, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a brainchild of former Head of State, General (rtd) Yakubu Gowon, turned 47.
Although there was nationwide lockdown owing to COVID-19 pandemic, the 47th anniversary neverthelessheld, in various parts of the country, but it was low-key.
For instance, the Ekiti Office of the NYSC marked the event by visiting selected communities in the state and distributed food items, sanitisers and other relief materials to elderly men and women while its Ebonyi office celebrated the anniversary with the destitute and other less privileged persons.
The NYSC scheme was set up by the regime of General Yakubu Gowon on May 22, 1973 by Decree 24, shortly after the civil war in Nigeria that lasted three years between 1967 and 1970.
It was conceived as an avenue for the reconciliation, reconstruction, and rebuilding of the nation that just survived the war.
The objectives of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme were later clearly enumerated in Decree No.51 of 16 June 1993.
Specifically, the scheme was designed to involve Nigerian graduates of universities and later polytechnics, in nation building by taking part in the National Youth Service Corps program for one year known as national service year.
Participants in the National Youth Service Scheme are posted to states other than their states of origin where they are expected to mix with people from different ethnic groups, social and family backgrounds, and learn the culture of the indigenes in the location they are posted to.
The compulsory one-year service is open tograduateswho must be below the age of 30 years upon graduation, or else they will be given Certificates of Exemption, also equivalent to the NYSC Discharge Certificates.
However, a graduate who finished before 30 years but skipped the service year, will still be eligible to serve even if he wants at the age of 60, since his certificate of graduation was dated before he clocked 30 years of age.
This action is essentially aimed at bringing about unity in the country and help the youths appreciate other ethnic groups.
Registration and mobilization of corps members are done in batches and more recently in streams.
Currently, NYSC mobilizes graduates twice a year in two batches: Batch A and Batch B subdivided into Streams: Stream 1 and Stream 2.
There is an orientation period of approximately three weeks spent in a military controlled camp away from family and friends. The camps are situated across the 36 states of the federation.
There is also a passing out ceremony at the end of the three weeks orientation camp after which corps members are posted to their Place of Primary Assignment (PPA).
They are expected to work as full-time staff at their PPA with exception of one working day devoted for the execution of community development service.
After eleven months at their PPA, corps members are allowed one month of vacation before their final passing out ceremony where they would be issued certificates of completion.
Ahmadu Ali served as the first Director-General of the NYSC until 1975. The incumbent Director-General, Shuaibu Ibrahim, is the 18th.
Notwithstanding the lofty objectives of the Scheme, DTN recalls that there were clamours for cancellation of the scheme recently.
Those behind the move catalogued a number of reasons including death of some corps members caught up in religious, ethnic or political violence in certain parts of the country.
It was also argued then that the programme had outlived its usefulness and now a waste of time, a waste of Nigeria resources and a conduit for massive corruption.
But well meaning Nigerians including the founder of the scheme, General Gowon, opposed the critics,arguing that the scheme is still relevant.
Fortunately, NYSC survived the storm and is waxing stronger till date.
We at the Daily Times have always argued that the scheme is still very much relevant and cannot agree less with the founder himself, General Gowon who described NYSC as “a catalyst of Nigeria’s socioeconomic development”, effective tool for youths empowerment and direct answer to youths unemployment.
We believe that many Nigerian youth graduates who ordinarily would not have gone beyond their states or at most, their geopolitical zones are annually benefitting from the scheme which takes them to other parts of the country to learn other people’s culture and establish lasting relationships.
We salute the successive leadership of the scheme for introducing various programmes capable of equipping the participants with skills and wherewithal to be self employed.
We heartily rejoice with NYSC at 47 and can only wish you a greater height!
