STUDENTS CALL FOR AN END TO NYSC SCHEME

A cross section of tertiary students in Anambra state have called for the outright scrapping or modification of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in view of recent development in some parts of the country. 

The students who bore their minds to AriNews opined that the NYSC programme had outlived its usefulness.

Calling on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency either crap or modify the scheme, the students cited rape, intimidation, unbearable hardship, discrimination and occasional gruesome murder of some Youth Corps members in some parts of the country, particularly in Northern part.

“Obviously, the scheme is just a mere ritual because the goal of setting it up has been defeated,” said Chineye Oforah, a four hundred level student of Paul University, Awka.

She further stated that the programme was initiated by the Gowan administration to reconcile and reintegrate Nigerians after the civil war.

“If after about four decades of its existence Nigerians are yet to be reconciled and re-integrated, then the goal of the scheme will never be achieved again,” added Oforah.

Similarly, Peter Iheanacho, a two hundred level student of Nnamdi Azikwe University (NAU) Awka, has expressed fear over the possibility of serving outside Anambra.

Decrying the spate of indiscriminate killings of Youth Corps Members during crisis, Iheanacho loathed the possibility of being posted to a far place to serve.

According to him, many students have resulted to “working” their postings to their places of choice to ensure that they remained close to their homes.

In the same vein, Emeka Obiano, another student of NAU, Awka said for the scheme to remain relevant in the contemporary Nigeria, the scheme should be revisited and relevant modifications made.

It could be recalled that scores of Youth Corps Members were targeted and killed during the post-election violence that broke out in some parts of the country following the declaration of Goodluck Jonathan as the winner of the presidential election against the wishes of the supporters of the candidate for Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Mohammadu Buhari.