The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Rep. Philip Agbese, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to halt the implementation of the Federal Government’s proposed reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), insisting that the changes should undergo wider stakeholder engagement before taking effect.
Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, made the appeal in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja.
A member of the House Committees on Youth and Defence, the lawmaker described the NYSC as a vital national institution whose core objectives of fostering unity and national service must be protected even as reforms are pursued.
His position follows the Federal Government’s announcement of what the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described as the first major overhaul of the NYSC since it was established in 1973.
Among the proposed changes are the restructuring of the orientation camp into three phases, the introduction of 11 specialised career pathways for corps members, expansion of skills acquisition programmes, replacement of the traditional khaki uniform with locally produced attire, and the appointment of a civilian as Director-General instead of a military officer.
The reform proposals have continued to attract differing opinions, with some stakeholders praising them as necessary steps to modernise the scheme, while others fear they could undermine the programme’s founding vision.
Agbese acknowledged the need to improve the NYSC but maintained that any reforms must preserve its role in strengthening national cohesion and supporting development across the country.
According to him, the scheme has
