NYSC shouldn’t be mandatory – Jega

Former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Prof. Atahiru Jega, has said that the one-year National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) should not be compulsory.

Jega while speaking at the opening ceremony of the NYSC 50th anniversary in Abuja on Monday, said if any activity should be mandatory, it should be only with the military.

He said, the best graduates who indicate interest should be selected for the exercise hence, adequate provisions should be made such as funding and facilities to enable them function well during the service programme.

The former INEC boss insisted that if it must be mandatory for the massive number graduates that turn out from higher institutions for the programme, then all the resources and facilities to make it effective.

Jega noted that the remunerations of Corp members were poor, hence it was because a huge number of corps members were mobilised into youth service amidst dwindling and inadequacy of resources.

He stressed that the scheme suffered lack of coporation by some state and local governments who have refused to lend their statutory support to the scheme.

Jega further said that the fraudulent enlistment of unqualified and/or fake graduates by tertiary institutions in Nigeria were part of the challenges faced by the scheme.

“I recommend that NYSC should be made voluntary but with qualifications. Take the best graduates who want to participate who are interested in participating for the exercise and adequate provisions should be made such as funding, facilities, mentorship so that they are trained to occupy special positions in the country.”

“If the must provide mandatory, then provide all the resources and facilities to make it effective and impactful.”

“If any activity doesn’t have to do with the military, then it should not be mandatory especially if it is supposed to have value to the country and for it to achieve it’s effective purpose,” he said.

On the contrary, Deputy Governor, Oyo State, Adebayo Lawal opined that the one year service scheme should remain mandatory.

Also speaking at the event, Minister for Youths and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare acknowledged that part of the achievements of the scheme was seen during the lock-down when corps members engaged in production of preventive materials such as face masks, hand sanitizers, automated hand washing equipment and disinfectants among others and distributed them free to complement government effort in the fight against the virus.

Meanwhile, the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Yushau Dogara Ahmed said the objectives of the scheme was admired by some other African countries.