Pros and Cons: The arguments for and against scrapping NYSC

After 49 years of its establishment by Yakubu Gowon, former head of state, the house of representatives is considering a bill seeking to scrap the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The one-year mandatory programme was established in 1973 — three years after the Nigerian civil war — to, among other objectives, foster national unity and integration.

Decades later, many are of the opinion that it has outlived its usefulness and is no longer relevant.

The bill to scrap the scheme was sponsored by Awaji-Inombek Abiante, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker from Rivers state.

Abiante said the NYSC scheme has failed to achieve its intended purpose and therefore should be discontinued.

Expectedly, the move has elicited contrasting reactions from Nigerians on social media. While some support it, others have expressed their opposition.

Here is a breakdown of different takes:

THE NYSC PROPONENTS

@dipoawojide: “Unpopular: NYSC is a good stopgap for millions of young people in Nigeria. Don’t scrap it, rejig it. Focus on entrepreneurship. Focus on community development. Focus on skills development. Post people to safe states. Scrap the unity and one Nigeria objective. It’s not working.”

@sheusani: “The NYSC should not be scrapped. Its needed now more than ever before. Many Nigerians have never known anywhere other than their hometown and University town if not for NYSC. Its mandate should be expanded to give participants full military training in the face of insecurity.”

@obi_Nwosu: “NYSC is an exposure that gives youths from the North an opportunity to see things from the perspective of those in the South and vice versa. If the House of Representatives pushes for an end to NYSC, it may affect national unity in the long run.”

@olorunwababs: “We run away from problems a lot in Nigeria. I just read the National Assembly is planning to pass a law to scrap NYSC because of insecurity and 7unemployment. radarada.

“If you want to scrap NYSC, let it be because you have a more knowledge-driven alternative or a better way to run it. Is NYSC the cause of insecurity and unemployment ni? Instead of leading a process to pass.

“A vote of no confidence on d leadership of the country for failing to secure Nigeria, they are debating how to scrap NYSC that has arguably helped wit uniting us more than any other thing in Nigeria. It’s high time we stopped sending block heads to Abuja as lawmakers really.”

@imseunalaofin: “NYSC is a soft landing between leaving the university and entering the real world.Many people got life changing jobs, met loved ones and destiny helpers because of NYSC. Rather than scrap, revamp and make it more productive. The house needs to take the Big Tropical and think right.”

THE OPPOSITION

@aselugeemain: “Let them scrap it. Send every graduate on a one-month orientation camp where they’ll be thought self-defense and economics. At the end multiply their one-year stipend and pay them as startup. The current nysc structure is docile and irrelevant to today’s plights.”

@firstladyship: “When I said scrap the mandatory NYSC, I knew exactly what I was saying. The scheme is now obsolete. And Traveling across Nigeria, is now one of the 1000 Ways to die.”

@ogbeni: “The NYSC has to go – it’s a way for the government to avoid investing in education/healthcare etc. because of the cheap labour that NYSC provides and also put core members at risk due to the security challenges in the country. At worst, it can be made voluntary. The poor allowance, mistreatment, exploitation, and degradation by NYSC officials and PPA folks etc. does not really do much good to the psyche of the average Corps member. Especially since average Nigerians and elites have such a different experience during service! You hear stories about rapes, accidents, robberies etc. during the service year. I don’t think it’s right that someone is posted across the country to a ‘strange’ community where there is a significant cultural and language barrier putting them at serious risk.”

@Mohnice: “NYSC is crap absolute waste of time with it Primary assignment and unproductive CDS….. while peeps schooling in the UK and the States are assured of jobs on graduation you are not even assured of one in Nigeria when you are through serving.”

EXPERT: REORGANISE, REJIG

Kehinde Ayoola, a senior lecturer in the department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), told TheCable that the scheme has been mismanaged over the years.

“What I can say is that NYSC has assisted the students, a lot of people look forward to it because it gives them room to earn one year salary, but the problem is where people now reject their postings, or whereby people are afraid of being outside their different locations has defeated the purpose of NYSC,” he said.

“When it started, you cannot reject your posting.”

While calling for the scheme to be reorganised, he frowned upon the trend of “ghost and absentee corps members” who receive certificates despite not actively serving.

Ayoola also added that many organisations “where people are posted do not take care of them”.

The lecturer, however, said he will support whatever decision the house of representatives makes on the matter, seeing as the present structure of the NYSC is no longer working.