TheCable

Yakubu Gowon, former head of state, says the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has contributed more to Nigeria’s development than any other organisation in the country.

Gowon said this on Thursday during the formal unveiling of nine books on NYSC and the maiden NYSC film to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the scheme.

The one-year mandatory programme was established in 1973 under Gowon‘s military government as parts of efforts to reconcile and rebuild the country after the civil war.

In May, the house of representatives said it was considering a bill seeking to scrap the scheme.

Gowon, however, said a trust fund should be set up to improve the programme instead.

“The NYSC has contributed to national development more than any other organisation in the country. The authorities should consider setting up a trust fund for the scheme,” he said.

“I thank all the stakeholders who have made this scheme a success, and I thank those who have documented all the achievements of the scheme and this will promote the understanding of its operations.”

Several stakeholders have aired their views on the move to scrap the NYSC.

Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, said those calling for the scrapping of the scheme do not mean well for the country.

Abubakar said the scheme is an essential programme in view of the ethnic and religious tension in Nigeria.