NYSC CAUSING MORE PAIN THAN THE BENEFITS PROMISED. ~ DIAMONDZ REVOLUTION

NYSC CAUSING MORE PAIN THAN THE BENEFITS PROMISED.

Nysc is said to be a time for fresh Nigerian graduates to serve our fatherland for a year after the completion of our university studies. The Nysc scheme was introduced in 1973 may 2^nd by Gen Gowon with its aim being to reconcile and rebuild the country after the civil war; it was established with a view to proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity.

Nowadays the youth corps (Nysc) has become a dreaded time for Nigerian fresh graduate and their parents, with the emergence of boko haram in the north, highlighted by the events that occurred in the aftermath of the 2011 presidential elections where corpers became targets of the northern hooligans and where killed in hundreds while some where maimed with machetes with their hands and legs hacked off mercilessly. If it’s not the hooliganism and terrorism of the north then it’s the bad roads around the country that have taken the lives of so many corpers.

Where is the knowledge to be gained and hospitality that was once promised during the inception of the NYSC? I write to ask our government of today what benefits does the NYSC hold for the Nigerian Youth of my time? I’ve been moved to write on this because of some disturbing news i came across weeks ago.

A Nursing graduate of Madonna University was attacked by suspected cultist on her way home in Bayelsa where she is serving, they attempted to cut off her head but she blocked the cutlass blow with her hand which almost became severed, then ran for her life, she’s presently fighting for her life in the hospital, Or is it the story of the Nysc corper and friend burnt to death by jealous lover in Rivers State, Or the Nysc corpers attacked by gunmen ln Taraba, Or the fatal accident that killed 18 corpers from Imo state university, I can go on and on, we keep losing vibrant youths who ought to be the future leaders of this country to the inadequacies, short comings, negligence and non –performance of our government.

The structure and environmental stability that was once there to make this program effective and productive is no more there, I personally believe or propose this NYSC program be suspended until issues causing the loss of innocent corp members life is addressed Or better still if the program must continue then I suggest the Orientation must changed

1. Let intending corpers stay in their regions, which is corpers from north, should be posted in the north region, south to south, east to east, and west to west likewise. And any corper who wants to leave his or her region may request for redeployment.

2. Secondly the one year service should be used for skill acquisition by the corpers, skill acquisition programme centres should be built all around the country for this. Instead of spending a year in class room after which corpers come out and flood the job market. Let the corp members learn any skill of their choice and when they are through should become entitled to a grant or start-up capital from the federal government, this would help to reduce the pressure on the job market and reduce the level of unemployment among our youths.

This two suggestion would go a long way in addressing the issues Nigerian corpers face or are likely to, unemployment rate would reduce drastically and the Nigerian youth would become self-employed job creators, even the Nigerian economy would feel the relief of having positive and success driven youths in its system we can only get better from there. Times have changed; Nysc is not as rosy as it once was, the government must stop sending youths of this nation on bad roads to serve in hostile environments.

I think it’s time our “Oga’s at the Top” sit down and think about what’s best for the Nigerian youth and in what new direction should the NYSC scheme take in order to better the lives the Nigerian Graduate.