In a significant move aimed at enhancing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, the House of Representatives is gearing up to debate a pivotal piece of legislation designed to establish a sustainable funding source for the training and empowerment of corps members. The bill, titled “The NYSC Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill 2024,” was introduced by the lawmaker representing Nasarawa/Toro Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State and was presented on the floor of the Green Chamber two weeks ago.
An exclusive copy of the bill, obtained by The PUNCH, outlines its primary goal: to create a legal framework for managing a special intervention fund dedicated to supporting skills acquisition, training, and empowerment initiatives for corps members.
According to Section 2(1) of the bill, the Trust Fund aims to “Cover all corps, personnel of the NYSC, orientation camps, formations, facilities and the overall improvement and efficiency in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities.”
Upon establishment, the Trust Fund is expected to be financed by “0.2 per cent of total revenue accruing to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, any take-off grant and special intervention fund as may be provided by the federal government, and such money as may be appropriated to meet the bill’s objective.” Additionally, it will include “aids, grants and assistance from international bilateral and multilateral agencies, non-governmental organisations and the organised private sector, grants, donations, endowments, bequests and gifts, whether of money, land or any other property from any source, and money derived from investments made by the Trust Fund.”
The bill outlines the multifaceted purpose of the Fund in Section 5(1), stating that it shall be utilized for “meeting the skill acquisition training and empowerment of corps members; meeting the training and re-training needs of the personnel of the NYSC; enhancement of the skills of corps members for improved proficiency and employment generation, as well as the overall improvement, performance and efficiency in the discharge of constitutional roles and responsibilities.”
Other provisions include financing the procurement of operational books, instructional materials, vehicles and equipment necessary for achieving organizational objectives, as well as expanding existing NYSC ventures and establishing new initiatives aimed at training corps members and fulfilling institutional needs at orientation camps.
The bill also proposes the creation of a Board of Trustees for the Fund, which will comprise a chairman and members of the NYSC National Governing Board, representatives from the Federal Ministries of Youth Development and Finance, and a member from the private sector. Additionally, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum or their representative, the President of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria or their representative, and a retired director of the NYSC will serve as the board’s secretary.
The board will be tasked with regulating the administration, application, and disbursement of funds from the Trust Fund. It will also develop policies and programs for the training and empowerment of exiting corps members, as well as the training and retraining of NYSC personnel and the enhancement of orientation camps and NYSC offices.
Furthermore, the board is empowered, as stated in Section 13 (1), to “award contracts, whether in local or foreign currency in conformity with the due process requirements as provided in any law, rule, guideline or regulation.” In carrying out its responsibilities, the proposed law mandates the board to “Identify the funding needs of the various programmes and activities of the NYSC and its formations for the enhancement of the performance of the scheme; enter into contractual arrangements to execute approved projects on behalf of the Trust Fund and oversee the implementation of projects financed through money accruing to the Fund.”
Leave a Reply