The Federal Government’s plan to enrol members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is commendable. The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, who disclosed this in Abuja, stated that the NYSC had mobilised 66,000 graduates across the country for the 2020 NYSC Batch “B” exercise, which began last week. Ibrahim also pointed out that the NYSC has liaised with the NHIS to enrol corps members in the scheme in line with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive.
He revealed that the NYSC has deployed huge resources on the critical health needs of corps members and footing their medical bills. The NYSC boss identified the scheme as the most critical platform for mentoring Nigerian youths to be drivers of national unity and development. Although the enrolment of corps members in the NHIS is belated, it is still welcome considering the numerous health challenges of corps members in the course of their national mandatory assignment.
Unfortunately, many corps members have lost their lives during service due to threatening health challenges and accidents. Yet, some others lost their lives in the course of performing electoral duties as ad hoc staff. We can recall the killing of some people, including corps members in the north, during the 2011 presidential election. Other corps members have died in election-related violence in Rivers, Bayelsa and other states. Therefore, any initiative by the government to ensure the health and overall wellbeing of all corps members should be given priority attention. In fact, it must be supported by the state and local governments.
Due to the obvious limitations of the NHIS as presently formulated, we urge the Federal Government to, in addition, extend comprehensive life insurance to all corps members in the country. This has become necessary in view of the fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) usually recruit them for election duties during national elections and off-cycle polls.
Besides, the government must enhance the allowance of corps members in line with the prevailing economic realities. The NYSC scheme was established by the Yakubu Gowon administration on May 22, 1973 to foster national unity following the end of the fratricidal Nigerian Civil War in 1970. It is an avenue to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building. Initially, the scheme lived up to public expectations in engendering friendship and love among Nigerian youths and cementing national unity. Many participants got married during the service year, and even got jobs in their places of their primary assignment.
With the downturn of the economy in the 80s and 90s, the situation has changed and the scheme has been adversely affected. Over time, the scheme has lost some steam and many graduates are no longer as enthusiastic in participating in the scheme as before due to one reason or the other. Unfortunately, some parents no longer want their children or wards to serve in some parts of the country as a result of rising insecurity and the fact that after the service year, the youths will contend with the issue of searching for elusive jobs.
It is sad that some corps members are rejected for their primary assignment by some companies and institutions. This does not bode well for the continuation of the NYSC scheme. To restore the lost glamour of the scheme, let the government come up with new measures to enhance the safety and welfare of corps members.
This is the time to review the objectives of the scheme to reflect our present reality. A situation where some members of the NYSC lost their lives due to political riots and civil unrests in some parts of the country does not augur well for the scheme. For enduring NYSC programme, the federal, state, local governments, the private sector and other beneficiaries of the scheme must ensure that the scheme is adequately funded and the safety and welfare of corps members prioritised.
Practical programmes on job creation and entrepreneurship should be vigorously inculcated in the corps members during the service year. If this measure is vigorously pursued, it will go a long way to reduce youth unemployment and the growing restiveness among Nigerian youths.