NYSC spends about 160 billion naira on Corps members yearly. This amount is basically for their “Allawee”, transport to Camp and their NYSC kits.
It doesn’t include what they spend on NYSC staff, soldiers, offices, technological gadgets etc, which when included would be close to half a trillion naira PER YEAR.
It’s no news that NYSC has long outlived it’s usefulness, as it neither helps in national integration nor the lives of Corps members who complete the scheme and start live on ground zero with nothing.
However, NYSC has its uses as it supplies teachers to most Government Primary and Secondary Schools as well as health professionals to most local hospitals in very remote areas, especially in the North.
As against scrapping, what I suggest is that NYSC can be restructured in such a way that that the funds can be adequately utilized to create wealth and employment for the Corps members.
This is the formula that I propose;
1. Instead of wasting one year, there should be one month intensive career training for Nigerian graduates. Instead of stressful parades, drills and cultural whatever, NYSC members should be divided into various career paths they chose and this time around they will be taught intensively and extensively about how the industry they’re about to venture in works.
2. Since each state gets about 2000 Corps members per year, for which 4billion is dedicated to. 50 career paths should be mapped out. Each career path gets 80 million naira start up capital. Each career path will have about 40 Corps members and then a Coach in the industry to guide them.
3. For that period of one month, the coach will train them extensively in intensively in that career path, bring in experts from across the world in that industry to show them how things are done.
4. At the end of one month, a company will be registered for the 40 people in that career path and through the assistance of that coach, they will set up a company. The company can be production, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, processing, corporate, Importation etc.
5. The 40 people will be equal shareholders of the Company. They can then choose to be employed in the company or just be shareholders and engage in different individual businesses.
6. There won’t be need to scatter Corps members in various States. Each Corp member can choose to either be in the state of their institution or state of origin. There will be no need for Uniforms. Just tags.
With this approach, young people wouldn’t have to waste one year suffering in strange lands with meagre Salaries, and still end up hopeless and jobless at the end of one year.
You graduates will have a good headstart in a career that they chose for themselves.
Think of how many companies that would spring up in 5 years. Think of what the various career paths in the Agricultural industry and how food will be supplus.
Think of the kind of boost the banking sector will get.
Think of the health sectors and how issues of primary healthcare will be a thing of the past.
Think of what our pharmaceutical industry will blossom if young pharmacists from 37 states pull together a capital of 80 million each to grow a pharmaceutical company over a period of 5 years.
Think of the manufacturing industry.
If this is well implemented, after 5 years, NYSC must have been transformed from a Waste Pipe to a Gold 🪙 mine that will shoot the Nigerian Economy to the skies.
Ugwuagbo Emmanuel Chizoba(ZOBA DE GREAT) is a Journalist and critical thinker based in Enugu State.