Should NYSC be scrapped?

Delegates at the National Conference, last week, suggested that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)  should be restrctured to be more effective for graduates’ empowerment. With eyebrows having being raised from different quarters on the scheme, Nigerian Tribune conducted an opinion poll, asking Nigerians if the programme should be scrapped. Doyin Adeoye brings the excerpts:
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Sylvester Akomaye Agida: Maybe national reintegration is still in sight, but the issue of economic empowerment of corps members is zero. The programme should be seriously reviewed, instead of deploying Nigerian youths around the country and returning to their various families the same or even worse.

Olasunkoye Ademola: Scrapping NYSC is not the solution to the problem. The Federal Government should make the programme an avenue to empower youths, by changing their mentality to realise that the best type of employment is self-employment. They should be trained on various skills and given money to set up their own businesses.

Owolabi Seun: The government should find a way of integrating youth empowerment, through skill acquisition, and entrepreneurship into the scheme. The monthly allowance should be allowed to accumulate and be paid at the end of the one-year programme.

Olawale Opeyemi: It should not be scrapped, because it promotes unity among the six geo-political zones. The lives of the corps members should be made secured, so that they could enjoy the scheme to the fullest. And also,  the Federal Government should financially empower the youths after the service year.

Oluwatimilehin Emmanuel Emmaski: It should be scrapped, while a one-year empowerment programme should be introduced where graduates can acquire skills that will be useful to them so they can become employers of labour. Also, the monthly stipends should be stopped and allowed to accumulate, before paying them at the end of the service year, so that they can have enough funds to start off their own businesses.

Adarighofua Oyaide: Real military training should be incorporated for six months before they are posted to communities for the remaining period. All Nigerians should be given military training officially in order to counter any insurgent in self-defence.

Ogedengbe Godwin Peter: It is the lazy folks who have not keyed into the cardinal principles of the scheme that will call for it to be scrapped. This is still the only avenue for national integration for our youths.

Braimoh Deba Osas: It should be scrapped. So many youths have died while on such useless voyage.

Blessed Don:  It should be scrapped. It is  just a waste of time.

Ogunje Adesina: The programme is good and should not be scrapped, however, more of military training should be involved, so that the corps members can defend themselves when the need arises, especially with the state of security in the country.

Toyin Ade Adeola: Policies should be reviewed such that any individual that is uninterested in staying should be allowed to go after the three-weeks orientation, while recruited corps members should be given adequate physical training.

Ilegbusi Femlabush: NYSC should not be scrapped, but should be limited to two to three months skill acquisition and empowerment programme, after which graduates should be given a substantial sum of money to invest, instead of roaming the streets for white-collar jobs.

Durojaiye Oniwinde: Corps members should be posted to local governments of their origin.

Mohorret Patrick: As a prospective corps member, NYSC should be encouraged through skills acquisition so that each graduate will have something doing after his service year. Government should complement that by giving them money to practicalise what they have learnt, so as to reduce over-dependence on government jobs.

Adesayo Gbenga John: Every intending corps members should be posted to a peaceful state or a state close to theirs so as to save the lives of our youths.

Falade Olaniyi Felix: Youths should  be able to use the year to acquire one skill or the other, so that after the service year, they won’t need to depend on the government for employment.

Evelyn Iyagbaye: NYSC should be scrapped. Instead of graduates running around for CDS and going to classrooms to teach, it should rather be a year of skill acquisition to improve their chances of a better life, in case they are not able to get a white-collar job.

Adesanmi Tony: NYSC brings out the best in us and also makes graduates different from others. It helps to build an individual and enables them to experience different cultural behaviours. I don’t think NYSC should be scrapped.

Bimbo Onajide: NYSC should be scrapped or be made to be a voluntary thing. Graduates should be allowed freedom of choice for the programme and of location of service.

Abdulwahab Sheikh Zakariyau: The  money spent on NYSC should be given to the graduates to empower them. There are lots of graduates with entrepreneurial skills, but with no funds to start up. To me, the monies wasted there should be given to them to empower them.

Aina Akindele Oyebanji: As a serving corps member in Imo State, NYSC only needs to be strengthened because it is normal to serve a state in any capacity and this programme is the best platform for doing so. Graduates’ empowerment is like going back to what people should have embraced while in technical or secondary schools. Graduates’ empowerment can be effective if government can adequately finance it.

Yusuf Akeem Sola: I won’t support that the NYSC be scrapped. Graduates should be empowered through the various skills learnt in camp by giving cash to willing graduates that want to be self-employed. I as a person learnt the agro-allied skill while in service, but lack of cash has been a hindrance to my dream.

Tanimu Izuagie: The Federal Government should continue to pay ex-corps members N10, 000 for some months after he/she finishes the service year. This is because some youths find it difficult to cope immediately after the monthly allowee stops. The programme is very effective in terms of unity in this country.

Isemekpan Emeka: Graduates should go for the training for some months and I think it should stop at that.

Aliyu Danja: It shouldn’t be scrapped, as so many of us do not know much of other cultures, except through NYSC.

Bolaji Odebode: Every graduate should serve within his or her state.

Ibrahem Kayode Okunade: I don’t think it should be scrapped. The scheme is a tool of unity in the country.

Edward Adeyemi: Scrapping the scheme will not be a bad option. The real intent of the scheme in the first place could be adjusted to the present day realities. On how it can improve graduates’ empowerment, adjustment in meeting present day realities should take the form of making graduates to be independent after the service year.

Ismail Bello: It should be retained but with some conditions. First, the age limit should be reduced to 25 and less. Also, there should be an improved welfare for the corps members and an automatic job offer for deserving corps members after the service year.
source: http://www.tribune.com.ng/quicklinkss/features/item/9407-should-nysc-be-scrapped

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