By Oluwakemi Kindness
A member of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend the implementation of the Federal Government’s proposed reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
He warned that some of the changes could undermine the scheme’s core mandate of national integration and weaken Nigeria’s national defence policy.
Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State and serves as the Labour Party leader in the state, made the call in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
A member of the House Committees on Youth and Defence, the lawmaker described the NYSC as a strategic national institution established to promote unity, patriotism and national service, cautioning against reforms that, in his view, could erode its founding ideals.
His reaction comes days after the Federal Government unveiled what the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described as the first comprehensive review of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973.
Among the proposed reforms are the division of the orientation camp into three phases, the introduction of 11 specialised career streams for prospective corps members, an expanded skills acquisition programme, the replacement of the traditional khaki uniform with locally made attire and the appointment of a civilian, rather than a military officer, to head the scheme.
While acknowledging the need to modernise the NYSC, Agbese argued that the reforms should not come at the expense of the scheme’s national integration and security objectives.
“Reducing NYSC to a skill acquisition training centre is not healthy for our national life,” he said.
According to him, the NYSC has, over the years, evolved beyond youth development into a strategic national asset, providing manpower for critical sectors such as education, healthcare, elections and emergency response during national assignments.
The lawmaker also expressed strong reservations over the proposal to place the scheme under civilian leadership, insisting that the military tradition embedded in the orientation programme has been instrumental in instilling discipline, patriotism and a spirit of national service among Nigerian youths.
“Instilling military training in citizens is an international practice that must be sustained,” Agbese stated.
He urged President Tinubu to constitute an expanded review committee comprising security experts, lawmakers, former NYSC officials, youth organisations and other key stakeholders to undertake a more comprehensive assessment of the proposed reforms before they are implemented.
The proposed overhaul has generated mixed reactions from stakeholders, with supporters arguing that the reforms would better prepare graduates for today’s labour market, while critics maintain that any restructuring must preserve the NYSC’s original mandate of fostering national unity.
Established on May 22, 1973, by the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon, the NYSC was created as part of Nigeria’s post-Civil War reconciliation efforts to promote national cohesion through cross-cultural service and community development.
