The Federal Government has approved a comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps, paving the way for the scheme to be headed by a civilian for the first time in its 53-year history.
The approval was granted by the Federal Executive Council at its meeting on Monday as part of efforts to reposition the NYSC into a skills-driven and youth empowerment institution aligned with the Federal Government’s economic development agenda.
As part of the reforms, the Federal Executive Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth to commence amendments to the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations to accommodate the new framework and facilitate its immediate implementation.
Under the approved structure, the operational leadership of the NYSC will be transferred to a civilian, while the military will continue to provide security for corps members deployed across the country.
The reform marks the first comprehensive review of the NYSC since it was established in 1973.
According to the government, the changes are designed to transform the scheme from its traditional orientation into a productivity-focused institution that equips young graduates with practical skills, promotes entrepreneurship and contributes to the administration’s goal of building a $1tn economy.
The decision is expected to usher in significant changes to the administration and operations of the scheme, which annually mobilises hundreds of thousands of graduates for the mandatory one-year national service.
To give legal backing to the reforms, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Youth have been mandated to amend the NYSC Act and related regulations to reflect all approved changes.
The NYSC, established after the Nigerian Civil War to foster national unity and integration, has remained one of the country’s most enduring national institutions.
However, the scheme has faced growing calls for reform in recent years over security concerns, relevance, funding and the need to strengthen youth employability through vocational and entrepreneurial training..
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