Lawmaker Calls for Stop to NYSC Reforms

The deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has asked President Bola Tinubu to pause the federal government's planned reforms for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He warned that some of these changes could weaken the core goals of the scheme and affect its role in national security.

Mr Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in Benue State, made this request in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

The lawmaker said that while reforms are needed to keep the scheme relevant, they should not change its main purpose of promoting national unity, discipline, and patriotism.

He urged the president to create a wider review committee made up of lawmakers, security experts, former NYSC officials, youth groups, and other stakeholders. This committee should look into the proposals before any changes are made.

As a member of the House Committees on Youth and Defence, Mr Agbese described the NYSC as one of Nigeria’s strongest national institutions. He stressed that any changes to it must protect the ideals it was built upon.

His remarks came after the federal government announced a broad reform package, which the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, called the first major review of the scheme since it started over fifty years ago.

The minister said the reforms aim to modernise the NYSC and align it better with today’s economic and national development needs.

But Mr Agbese argued that the proposed changes should not turn the scheme into just a vocational training centre. “Reducing NYSC to a skill acquisition training centre is not healthy for our national life,” he said.

He pointed out that the NYSC has served wider national interests by sending corps members to essential sectors during emergencies, including education, healthcare, elections, and other public services.

He also disagreed with the plan to replace the military leadership of the scheme with a civilian. He argued that the military has played a key role in teaching discipline, patriotism, and a sense of national duty among participants.

“Instilling military training in citizens is an international practice that must be sustained,” the lawmaker said.

He believes that reforms to such an important institution should only happen after thorough discussions with relevant groups to ensure that the scheme’s role in national integration and security is not weakened.

The NYSC was established on 22 May 1973 by former Head of State Yakubu Gowon. It was created as part of Nigeria’s post-Civil War efforts to promote national unity and peaceful living among people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

For over 50 years, the programme has sent graduates to states outside their home areas, allowing young Nigerians to learn about different cultures while providing manpower for schools, health services, and other public institutions. Corps members have also taken part in national duties like voter registration, elections, immunization campaigns, and disaster response.

The latest reform proposals have sparked discussions among stakeholders. Supporters see them as overdue updates, while critics warn that they could undermine the original goals of the scheme.

Some of the key reforms recently announced include introducing three separate phases for orientation camps instead of one, creating 11 specialized career paths for prospective corps members during registration, expanding the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, replacing the traditional khaki uniform with locally made attire, and suggesting that a civilian director-general leads the NYSC instead of the usual military officer.