The Federal Government has announced that the deployment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members will now be guided by security risk assessments as part of a major overhaul of the scheme.
President Bola Tinubu announced the decision after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved seven reforms designed to strengthen the 53-year-old NYSC programme. The reforms were reported by The Guardian Nigeria.
Under the new policy, corps members will no longer be posted to states facing serious security challenges without an assessment of the prevailing risks.
According to the president, deployment to security-challenged states will prioritise indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions located in those states and graduates from neighbouring states within the same geopolitical zone.
The policy comes in response to growing concerns over the safety of corps members serving in areas affected by kidnappings, armed attacks and other security threats.
Tinubu described the package as the most significant reform of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973, saying it is intended to improve the safety of participants while preserving the scheme’s objective of promoting national unity.
The President also directed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Justice to begin amending the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations to provide the legal framework needed to implement the reforms.
Among the approved changes is a proposal for the NYSC to be headed by a civilian director-general instead of the current military leadership structure. The civilian chief would be supported by three executive directors, including one from the military or a paramilitary agency responsible for security matters.
Other reforms include extending the orientation camp programme from the current duration to six weeks, introducing 11 specialised service streams for corps members and implementing a national grading and certification system for orientation camps.
The government also plans to replace the traditional Passing-Out Parade with a Graduation Ceremony, saying the new format will place greater emphasis on skills acquisition, employability and entrepreneurship.
Established in 1973 to foster national integration by posting graduates outside their states of origin, the NYSC has faced increasing calls for reform in recent years due to rising insecurity in parts of the country.
FG said key aspects of the reforms will take effect after the required amendments to the NYSC Act are approved.
