After the civil war the Nigerian Government decided to embark on a mission of national integration to foster unity and remove elements of rancour and suspicion threatening the nascent post-war calmness,it decided to establish the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme as a means of acheiving this goal.This scheme, targeted at the nation’s youth who had just rounded off their university education saw them undertaking a compulsory 1year work and military experience in a location different from their state of origin.This was to ensure proper integration,tolerance and appreciation of other cultures in a multi-cultural Nigeria.
However,over the years the NYSC scheme has come under much scrutiny,albeit severe criticism for having lost its functionality and sense of purpose for which it was established in the first case.This is clearly evident in the perverse corruption which riddles the scheme and makes a total mockery of what should be.These days,as a graduate youth with money to throw around,you can decide where to have your service and even when, (irrespective of the age-barrier).If it was possible,some would even pay to have the whole scheme done for them.
Much outrage has also followed the huge funding that goes into the organisation and implemetation of the orientation course which is to be the duplicated in the 36states of the federation.Funds for clothing,logistics, feeding,etc. even though fully analysed and accounted for on paper seem inadequate when interpreted physically into what they can procure. Poorly structured orientation camps,poor-quality clothing and feeding,etc thus become the issue of the day.
Further be-devilling the scheme is the plethora of graduates waiting to be called up f0r service,yielding a spill-over of,atimes, more than 2batches of the nations workforce.This translates into an overwhelming of the potential employers who seemingly cannot cope with the deluge of youth-corpers they are being asked to employ for a calendar year.A scenario where youth corpers are then asked to look for where to work ,in a state they have probably never been before, thus becomes the case.
The security hazards corpers are exposed to in restive and hostile communities also has recently become an issue of grave concern,especially for the guardians and parents of these young people who hold their hearts in their mouths anytime fighting and killing breaks out.But probably the most unhealthy of all scenarios is the financial aspect where a university graduate is being paid 9,700,not minding ours is a society lacking of social security structures.
True, NYSC builds friendship and unity,especially on camp during the 3week orientation course,but life after camp reveals the real,strong and bold faults of the scheme.Faults that cry for a severe and total over-haul of the scheme,if a total scrapping would be too much to ask for.
