A member of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to suspend the implementation of the newly approved reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) pending a comprehensive review.
Naijaonpoint reports that Agbese, who represents the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, warned that some of the proposed changes could undermine the scheme’s original objectives.
The lawmaker, who is also the Deputy Spokesman of the House, raised the concerns in a letter addressed to the President.
He said the appeal was driven by the need to preserve the NYSC’s role in promoting national unity, cultural interaction and youth development.
“It is with a deep sense of patriotic duty and concern for national cohesion that I write,” Agbese stated.
Agbese urged the Federal Government to halt the implementation process and establish a broad-based committee to examine the likely effects of the reforms.
According to him, the committee should include relevant stakeholders and experts who can determine whether the proposals align with the scheme’s mandate.
He said any effort to modernise the NYSC must protect the welfare and safety of corps members while strengthening, rather than weakening, national integration.
The reforms reportedly include a transition from military to civilian leadership, an extension of the orientation camp period and changes to the NYSC uniform.
Other proposals include the introduction of a structured training curriculum, skills-based deployment, automation of the mobilisation process and formal graduation ceremonies for corps members.
The lawmaker expressed reservations about the proposed replacement of military leadership with civilian administration.
He argued that such a major structural change should be carefully assessed because of the role military leadership had played in operational coordination and security support for the scheme.
Agbese said the government should consider whether civilian leadership has the capacity to respond effectively to the security and logistical challenges of deploying corps members nationwide.
He stressed that the proposed change should not be implemented without consulting stakeholders and examining its possible consequences.
Agbese also called for a further assessment of the plan to deploy corps members according to their professional qualifications and skills.
He said that although the proposal could improve productivity, it might affect the distribution of corps members across different regions.
The lawmaker noted that the current arrangement exposes young Nigerians to communities and cultures outside their places of origin, thereby promoting national understanding.
He warned that a deployment system driven mainly by professional considerations could reduce the cross-cultural interaction for which the programme was created.
On the proposed modification of the NYSC uniform, Agbese said the government must recognise the symbolic importance of the existing attire.
According to him, the uniform helps to promote equality and a shared national identity among participants, irrespective of their ethnic, religious or socioeconomic backgrounds.
He urged the authorities to ensure that any changes would not diminish the sense of belonging associated with the scheme.
The lawmaker also questioned the proposed extension of the orientation camp from three weeks to six weeks.
He said the plan could have significant financial and logistical implications for the Federal Government, state governments and corps members.
Agbese, therefore, called for a detailed cost-benefit analysis before the extension is implemented.
He said the review should examine the cost of accommodation, feeding, healthcare, security and other services required to keep corps members in camp for the additional period.
