NYSC: As 95,000 fresh graduates file out

As the bulk of the 95,000 fresh graduates mobilised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the compulsory one year service to the nation began arriving at NYSC orientation camps which opened across the country yesterday, July 5, it is, indeed, apt for Nigerians to pause a moment and consider the task before these young Nigerians who are being called to serve the nation at this difficult time in our national history.

2011 Batch B corps members are beginning their service year at a time when many have started questioning the necessity for continuation of the scheme. Indeed, if there was ever a time when a large number of Nigerians felt that the scheme ought to be scrapped or restructured to address its noticeable challenges, it is now.

Still fresh from the callous murder of 10 youth corps members in Bauchi during the April post-election; the loss of four more to an accident on their way to Enugu from Plateau State a fortnight ago; the reported murder of another two by armed robbers in a banking hall last week; continuing bombings and killings in Maiduguri, Bauchi and Abuja and other places in the Northern part of the country, it is clear that the compulsory national service has become an assignment that is not for the lily-livered.

Already, there are reports of some graduates opting out of the service out of fear of the places they were posted to for their primary assignment. Although this is against the provisions of the law setting up the scheme, it is an understandable reaction to the growing spate of insecurity in the country, which security agencies have so far mostly been confronting with assurances of their resolve to ensure “security” of the people.

This fear of being deployed to the North has, this time, gone beyond individuals to educational institutions. At least one university, the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo state, which lost a graduate in the post-election murders in Bauchi, has asked the management of the NYSC not to post its graduates to the Northern part of the country.

The university, in a statement by its Principal Assistant Registrar, Information, Protocol and Public Relations, Mr. Sola Imoru, said the university decided to cry out because of fears expressed by students and members of the institution’s alumni association on the sporadic bombings, killing and other forms of violence in Bauchi, Borno, Plateau, Yobe and other states. The university says corps members should be allowed to serve in their respective regions.

It is, therefore, important for the government to put in place unassailable security arrangements, not only for the members, but all Nigerians. Restiveness in the country, especially in the North, must be dealt with if the region is to continue enjoying the services of youth corps members.
The challenges facing the scheme are, however, multi-various. Beyond the fears over security and the call in many quarters for youth corps members to be allowed to serve in their regions, is the need for comprehensive overhauling of many aspects of the programme.

It is clear, for example, that the allowances paid to the corps members have long been overtaken by inflation and the harsh economic realities of today. They are long overdue for a review. It is surprising that all corps members are paid a flat rate of N1,500 for transportation to their places of primary assignment. Even those posted from one end of the country to the other, such as from Imo state to Borno or any of the states in the North, receive N1,500 for the journey. And, even that amount is only refunded when the graduates get to the camp. It is not paid upfront, thereby leaving many indigent in a quandary on how to source funds for the journey.

Should a country that truly cares for its youths pay a young person traveling to distant and unfamiliar parts of the country N1,500 transportation allowance when it will cost no less than N4,000 to N5,000 to undertake the journey?
And, the fact of the matter is that many of these graduates are truly indigent. Many are the hopes of their families. N1,500 transport fares paid to corps members for transportation should be increased to at least N5,000. Even such N5,000 cannot meet any logistics challenge on the journey, such as the breakdown of the vehicle, feeding or any health challenge that may arise.

Corps members are paid a bicycle allowance of N1,000 for local transportation. Let arrangements be made to increase it, if not for this batch, for future corpers.
Worst of all, youth corps members are paid a monthly allowance of N9,500 a month. For young men and women living so far away from their homes and natural environments, N9,500 is grossly inadequate, either for feeding, transportation or to take care of their health challenges. N9,500, for God’s sake, amounts to less than N2,500 per week!

How exactly is anyone supposed to feed, transport, house himself and take care of medical exigencies where he has no family member with less than N2,500 a week? It is true NYSC regulations say employers of corps members should accommodate them and pay an allowance for their transportation. We all know this is not the case in most organizations to which corpers are deployed. Some organisations, including some state governments pay only N3,000 monthly to corps members. Most organisations, especially in the South West, do not provide accommodation for the youths, thereby, leaving them to find wherever they can to live during the period.
It is very sad that many housemaids earn far more than youth corps members, some of who are doctors, engineers and accountants today.

In fact, in a place like Lagos, no one dares offer the most illiterate driver N9,500 as salary.
If drivers cannot, therefore, take a monthly salary of N9,500, why pay such a miserly sum to youth corps members? The allowances of the corps members should be increased. Luckily, increase in the national minimum wage to N18,000 was promised by the Jonathan administration on May 1, 2010, Labour day, last year. Since then, it has not been implemented.

Let the government go ahead and implement it. If there is anything that is delaying it, then let the corpers’ allowances be increased while work continues on the minimum wage issue.
It does not make sense to pay graduates amounts that are not paid to cleaners and you expect them to be patriotic. In this regard, some of the corpers who chose to return to Bauchi after escaping the post-poll violence deserve to be praised. These ones are putting their lives at risk in the service of their nation!

One other critical thing that many state governments should look into is the issue of upgrading their orientation camps. Many orientation camps do not have electricity at all. They rely only on generators that are put on only for a few hours a day. Some hostels used as camps have broken doors and windows, thereby exposing the corps members to avoidable problems. Some of the hostels lack toilet facilities. Corps members in at least two states that I know have to wake up in the thick of the night to take their bath away from the prying eyes of others. They go to toilet in the bushes surrounding the camps. This is not good at all. Governors should be able to provide a better welcoming environment for the youths who are essentially their guests. These are all issues that need to be addressed. I believe the NYSC needs to be better funded and properly monitored to ensure that funds allocated for the orientation periods are judiciously utilised.

The one-day a week Community Development (CD) that corps members participate in also needs to be rejigged. The truth is that very little community service is being done these days. In addition, local government staff need to be properly motivated and guided on the appropriate attitude to corpers.

In addition, workers of the NYSC involved in the camping experience need to be motivated to do their job. It is not easy for any worker to be in the uncomfortable camp environment for almost three months in every given year. i.e. 3 weeks each for each of the three batches of corps members mobilised every year!
Here is wishing the Batch B 2011 corps members a fruitful and safe service year. Let them remember the essence of the programme: Service to fatherland but be watchful for their safety too. Ajuwaya!

Posted: at 6-07-2011 01:07 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

They should just post these corpers elsewhere for goodness' sake. There are other places in Nigeria where people can learn about different cultures. Posts to the north should just be aborted for now, until everything settles. This is just too obvious Mr. President.

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Posted: at 6-07-2011 08:45 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac