The Chamber of Deputies approved in second debate a bill to establish the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Trust Fund.
The bill, sponsored by Mayowa Akinfolarin (APC, Ondo), seeks to compel all organized private entities to contribute one percent of their net profits to the fund. In addition, 0.2 percent of the total income accumulated in the federation’s account will finance the entity.
Leading the discussion on the bill, Mr. Akinfolarin said, “The trust fund will provide a sustainable source of funding for NYSC, skills acquisition training and provision of seed money for corps members, train and retrain train NYSC staff, develop camps, NYSC formations and provide facilities in them”.
He added that the fund will also be used to fund the corps members’ need for monthly allowances, sponsor the NYSC’s community development service.
This bill comes amid a renewed call for the NYSC to be scrapped due to the general insecurity in the country, which has put members of the corps at risk.
There is a bill before the House that seeks to alter the 1999 constitution by eliminating the scheme. It is seeking to repeal section 315 (5a) of the 1999 constitution and the National Youth Service Corps Act.
The bill’s sponsor, Awaji-Inimbek Abiante (PDP, Rivers), cited insecurity, exploitation by prime duty stations and the poor condition of orientation camps.
The scheme was established in 1973 by the Yakubu Gowon administration as part of strategies to foster unity in the post-civil war era. It was established by Decree 24.
However, the scheme has come under heavy criticism lately due to the deteriorating security situation in the country.
In August, the Chairman of the Committee on Youth Development, Yemi Adaramodu, during a visit to the FCT orientation camp in Kubwa, Abuja, said that the plan will not be scrapped and expressed his support and swift approval of the draft trust fund law when filed.
NYSC CEO Shuaibu Ibrahim, Brigadier General, has also been soliciting support for the fund.
At the Fund’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) 2021 festival ceremony in December, he said SAED will benefit from the bill.
He said, “I am confident that the earnings of the SAED program will be enhanced if the proposed National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund becomes a reality.”
The bill was referred to the House Committee on Youth and Development for further legislative action.