A member of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend the proposed reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) pending a comprehensive review by a broader stakeholders’ committee.
Agbese, who is the Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, made the appeal in a statement on Sunday, warning that some of the proposed changes could undermine the scheme’s original mandate.
Representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, the lawmaker said while modernising the NYSC was necessary, any reform should preserve its primary objective of promoting national unity and integration.
The proposed reforms, unveiled by the Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, are aimed at repositioning the scheme to better serve young Nigerians.
Among the proposals are restructuring the orientation camp into three phases to provide more structured activities and enhance the overall experience of corps members, as well as introducing 11 specialised career streams from which prospective corps members would make their choices during registration based on their interests and career aspirations.
Other recommendations include strengthening the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, replacing the traditional khaki uniform with locally produced attire and appointing a civilian, rather than a military officer, as Director-General of the scheme.
Agbese, however, cautioned against turning the NYSC into what he described as merely a vocational and skills acquisition centre.
“NYSC should not be reduced to a skill acquisition/training centre. That is not healthy for our national life,” he said.
A member of the House Committee on Youth, Agbese argued that some of the proposals could dilute the scheme’s core mandate and weaken its contribution to Nigeria’s national cohesion and broader security architecture.
According to him, the NYSC remains a strategic national institution whose responsibilities extend beyond youth development to fostering patriotism, unity and national integration.
“The NYSC scheme is a national institution that has played a critical role in fostering national unity and should not be restructured in a manner that compromises its founding ideals,” he said.
The lawmaker also defended the scheme’s military orientation, saying it instils discipline, patriotism and a sense of national service among young graduates. He opposed the proposal to appoint a civilian as Director-General, insisting that the existing military leadership tradition remains integral to achieving the objectives of the scheme.
Agbese noted that over the years, the NYSC had made significant contributions to national development through the deployment of corps members to schools, healthcare facilities, election duties and emergency response operations across the country.
He maintained that these contributions underscore the importance of the scheme and the need for broad consultation before implementing far-reaching structural reforms.
“I urge President Bola Tinubu to establish an expanded committee comprising security experts, lawmakers, former NYSC officials, youth groups and other critical stakeholders,” he said.
According to him, such a committee should undertake a comprehensive review of the proposals to ensure that any reforms protect the foundational objectives of the NYSC.
Agbese recalled that the scheme was established on May 22, 1973, by Gen. Yakubu Gowon in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War to promote reconciliation, national unity and integration.
He noted that for more than five decades, the NYSC has fostered cultural exchange by posting graduates outside their states of origin while addressing manpower shortages in critical sectors.
The lawmaker added that the scheme has strengthened inter-ethnic understanding, supported community development initiatives and contributed significantly to national health campaigns, elections and emergency interventions.
While acknowledging that previous administrations had introduced measures to improve the scheme, Agbese observed that the current proposals represent the most extensive restructuring effort since the NYSC’s establishment.
He stressed that the significance of the proposed reforms makes broad consultation imperative, noting that the future direction of the NYSC would have far-reaching implications for national unity and development.
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