LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Restructuring NYSC, A Solution To Unemployment

It is no doubt that the history of the country since independence has clearly indicated the need for unity amongst our people in all ramifications and in every sense of human endeavor.

It is a fact that no cultural or geographical entity can exist in isolation, a situation that paved way for the establishment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme which was created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after Nigeria civil war – 1967 to 1970.

The Head of State then, Gen. Yakubu Gowon-led administration of 1973 capitalized on the unfortunate antecedent to establish the NYSC which is one of the functional national scheme today.

Gen. Gowon priority for peace, unity and National progress after the war consequently gave rise to the birth of the scheme. Undeniably, the establishment of the scheme materialized in the reconstruction agenda of the then government for the fact that it projected the reality of a united, strong and self reliance nation.

However, the scheme is no longer appreciated today in the sense that, issues in the Gen. Gowon’s instead of focusing more on the present primary problem of the country which is unemployment.

The youth have to answer the clarion call to serve their father land under the sun or in the rain but how about their future? Should they go to their villages after the service empty handed? It does not matter if the Federal Government increases the allowance of the Corp members, as it recently did, what should be paramount is the future.

The number of Graduate is increasing rapidly on a daily basis in Nigeria, so also the number of unemployed youths and one begin to wonder if the government is proactively ready to limit the ever growing number.