Reps consider scrapping NYSC as bill reaches 2nd reading

The House of Representatives is considering scrapping the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration Bill, 2020, which seeks to cancel the NYSC Act, is billed for the second reading.

The sponsor, Mr Awaji-Inombek Abiante, in the clarifying memo of the proposal, itemised the several reasons why the NYSC should be discontinued.

It partly read, “This 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 management now gives 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.”