The National Youth Service Corps scheme is Nigeria’s only legacy of unity and should not be scrapped, civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, has said.
National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, made this known in a statement titled, ‘Move To Scrap Nysc Unpatriotic; A Sabotage: Says Huriwa’.
Onwubiko was reacting to a move by the House of Representatives to discontinue the NYSC scheme.
it was earlier reported that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration Bill, 2020, which is seeking to repeal the NYSC Act, is billed for the second reading.
The sponsor, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, had amongst other reasons, cited the rising insecurity and incessant killing of innocent corps members in the country as reasons for proposing the bill.
But reacting in a statement on Tuesday, HURIWA said the scheme has been playing a role in unifying the country, as it brings youths together.
“As far as most Civil Rights practitioners in Nigeria are concerned, this government has made remarkable milestones in the Youth sector. The consistent strides made by President (Muhammadu) Buhari to sustain the only legacy that reminds us of our National Unity which is the NYSC, have become a beacon of hope for generations yet unborn.
“On no account should any negative force be permitted to succeed in scuttling the NYSC. What we expect is for all hands to be on deck to consolidate the gains made by NYSC and to strengthen its operational capacity.
“We are very hopeful that both speakers of parliament and the Senate President are proud products of the Noble NYSC scheme and should ensure that no stone is left unturn to stop forthwith the retrogressive March to infamy which is what the proposal to end the NYSC Scheme represents,” the statement partly read.
The military regime of General Yakubu Gowon had established the NYSC on May 22, 1973, under Decree No. 24 of 1973 as a way of reconciling and reintegrating Nigerians after the civil war between July 6, 1967, and January 15, 1970.
