Key points
- Rep. Philip Agbese urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend proposed reforms to the NYSC pending a broader review.
- He warned that some of the proposals could undermine the scheme’s national integration mandate.
- Agbese opposed replacing the military leadership of the NYSC with a civilian and cautioned against turning the scheme into a vocational training programme.
- He called for a committee of security experts, lawmakers, former NYSC officials and youth groups to review the proposals.
Main story
A member of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend the proposed reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) pending a comprehensive review by a broader stakeholder committee.
Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue and serves as Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, made the appeal in a statement on Sunday.
He said while modernising the NYSC was desirable, the proposed reforms should not undermine the scheme’s primary objective of promoting national unity and integration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the reforms were proposed by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, as part of efforts to reposition the scheme.
The proposals include splitting the orientation camp into three phases, introducing 11 specialised career streams for prospective corps members, strengthening skills acquisition programmes, replacing the traditional khaki uniform with locally made attire, and appointing a civilian instead of a military officer to head the scheme.
Agbese cautioned against transforming the NYSC into what he described as merely a skills acquisition and vocational training centre.
“NYSC should not be reduced to a skill acquisition/training centre. That is not healthy for our national life,” he said.
He argued that some of the proposed changes could erode the scheme’s founding ideals and weaken its contribution to national cohesion and the country’s broader security objectives.
According to him, the NYSC remains a strategic national institution whose responsibilities extend beyond youth development to fostering unity among Nigerians.
“The NYSC scheme is a national institution that has played a critical role in fostering national unity and should not be restructured in a manner that compromises its founding ideals,” he said.
Agbese also defended the scheme’s military orientation, saying it promotes discipline, patriotism and preparedness among corps members.
He opposed the proposal to appoint a civilian to head the organisation, insisting that the existing leadership structure remains central to achieving the scheme’s objectives.
The lawmaker noted that the NYSC had continued to contribute to national development through the deployment of corps members to schools, healthcare facilities, elections and emergency response operations across the country.
He urged Tinubu to constitute a committee comprising security experts, lawmakers, former NYSC officials, youth groups and other stakeholders to undertake a comprehensive review before any reforms are implemented.
The issues
The proposed reforms represent the most extensive restructuring of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973. While the Federal Government says the changes are aimed at modernising the scheme and improving participants’ experience, critics argue that some of the proposals could weaken its core mandate of promoting national unity by deploying graduates outside their states of origin.
What’s being said
“NYSC should not be reduced to a skill acquisition/training centre. That is not healthy for our national life.” — Philip Agbese
“The NYSC scheme is a national institution that has played a critical role in fostering national unity and should not be restructured in a manner that compromises its founding ideals.” — Philip Agbese
What’s next
The Federal Government is expected to continue consultations on the proposed reforms, while calls for a broader stakeholder review may shape the eventual implementation of the recommendations.
Bottom line
Agbese wants the Federal Government to halt the proposed restructuring of the NYSC until a wider stakeholder review is conducted, arguing that reforms should strengthen, rather than dilute, the scheme’s national integration mandate.
