The House of Representatives has called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, including the National Assembly, to stop rejecting members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) deployed to their offices.
The Green Chamber also urged government institutions to develop structured work schedules that would accommodate corps members and integrate them into public sector productivity and value creation.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by the lawmaker representing Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, Hon. Rodney Ebikebina Ambaiowei, during plenary on Thursday.
Moving the motion, Ambaiowei said the NYSC scheme was established after the Nigerian civil war to promote national unity, reconciliation and reconstruction through youth engagement in national service.
He explained that the programme was designed to foster cohesion by deploying graduates from different regions of the country to serve in states other than their places of origin.
According to him, the scheme has, over the years, contributed to national integration and helped build a sense of shared identity among young Nigerians.
However, he expressed concern that several government institutions are now rejecting corps members, thereby denying them opportunities to gain work experience and contribute meaningfully to public service delivery.
“This has left many graduates vulnerable to exploitation by private firms and crime, while wasting the scheme’s intended workforce for public and private sectors,” he said.
Ambaiowei further warned that the rejection of corps members amounts to a waste of public resources, as the government continues to pay stipends without corresponding economic value or structured engagement.
He stressed that proper deployment of corps members in government offices would enhance their skills, prepare them for future careers and improve national productivity.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Youth Development to engage with the Director-General of the NYSC to develop a framework for effective deployment and utilisation of corps members across government institutions.
