BY EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO
Socrates remains a fascinating thinker and one of the original fathers
of philosophy – a course which implicitly is defined as the love of
wisdom. And so, a remarkable and momentous affirmation for which
Socrates is associated with is that which states that: “Man know
thyself for an unexamined life is not worth living”.
As students of philosophy, we are informed that the first philosophers
had focused their attention upon nature, but the sophists and Socrates
shifted the concerns of philosophy to the study of man. Instead of
asking the large cosmic questions about the ultimate principles of
things, we learnt however that philosophy became preoccupied with the
questions relating more directly to man’s behavior.
These narratives about how the dimensions of the study of philosophy
unfolded in the phenomenal epochs that the study of philosophy had
undergone, brings us to the theme of our reflection today which is
about the fundamental approach towards the implementation of the core
objectives of the National Youth Service Corp and the
reform-mindedness which seems to have defined the worldview of the
current Director General of the NYSC – Brigadier General Shuaibu
Ibrahim. These reforms have started yielding results with the forensic
discovery of some participants of the NYSC scheme who parade fake
qualifying certificates. At the last count, nearly 100 of such dubious
persons have been fished out.
As it were, the new order in the NYSC is focused towards achieving
holistic law reforms and to attain a pragmatic purification of the
processes leading up to the enlistment of participants in the yearlong
national service under the National Youth Service scheme.
Reforming the law setting up the NYSC has always formed the major
fulcrum of discuss amongst analysts but for the first time in the
history of the NYSC, here comes a head of the institution who has
indeed Kick-started the intellectual and practical approaches towards
realizing the aspirations of a better focused NYSC.
Basically, as is universally known, reforming an existing law and
advocating and implementing changes in a legal statute such as the
enabling Act that set up the NYSC is aimed at enhancing better service
delivery and improve the efficiency of the institution.
To underscore the essence of the well-conceived stakeholders forum on
the Act, the nationalist behind the enactment of the enabling Act and
former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon(GCFR) as he then was,
applauded the current management of NYSC for embarking on this journey
of actualizing legal reforms of the institutional legal framework.
Gowon who was represented at the event stated that: “I commend the
NYSC management for its foresight in taking this step of educating
Nigerians on the enabling Act. I have no doubt in my mind that this
initiative will go a long way in providing appropriate guidance to all
relevant stakeholders on their role expectations.”
It would be recalled that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
which was established in 1973 by then Federal Military Government to
unite and integrate Nigerians following the experience of a three-year
civil war in the country has left no stone unturned to achieve its
mandate and other associated national objectives.
It is evidently manifest that the youths were considered the veritable
drivers of the Scheme due to their vibrancy, vitality and resilience.
In the light of the above intention therefore, fresh Nigerian
graduates within ages thirty (30) and below who have obtained Degree
or HND Certificates are mobilized for the compulsory one-year National
service.
The National Youth Service Corps Act CAP N84 Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria 2004 encompasses the objectives and goals of the NYSC. The law
evolved from the original statute called decree number 24 of 22nd May,
1973. The law makes it mandatory as it were for all eligible graduates
to undertake one year national service just as the law specifies
sanctions for evasions and illegal participation.
It can be stated that the current Director General who assumed duties
barely few months ago, has embarked on series of capacity building
activities that have been anchored on the necessity of law reforms as
aforementioned, sanitizing the mechanisms and processes of producing
quality graduates from institutions situated within and outside of the
shores of Nigeria and to maintain the time honored and tested goals of
the scheme.
Another high profile event that has taken place in the past couple of
months that the current director general assumed office is the forum
that took place during which participants brainstormed on the core
objectives of the NYSC in total compliance with the enabling Act that
set it up and to work on modalities for reforming the enabling Act to
improve efficiency and effectiveness.
The Honorable Philip Cummin, the President of the Commonwealth
Association of Law reform agencies gave us a summary of the goals of
any universally accepted legal reforms like the type that the new
management of NYSC is currently fine tuning.
He said: “to sustain the rule of law, law reform needs to be
principled, based on sound methods, and to take full account of the
views of the civil society and of experts. It should be respected,
reliable, rigorous and responsive”.
These strategic events by the NYSC management are in compliance with
the above standards of best global practices desirable for actualizing
a credible process of reform and the workshops have come at the very
right time because as Professor Chinua Achebe of the blessed memory
stated that “in the final analysis a leader’s no-nonsense
reputation might induce a favorable climate but in order to effect
lasting change it must be followed up with a radical programme of
social and economic re-organization or at least a well-conceived and
consistent agenda of reform which Nigeria stood, and stands in the
dire need of”.
The hosting of these series of brainstorming sessions by the helmsman
at the NYSC is seen as well-conceived and can indeed be contextualized
as a strategic and consistent pattern of an emerging agenda of reforms
that would define the tenure of the new leadership. The parleys have
indeed advocated implementable recommendations aimed at achieving
better results along the lines of the necessity of law reform of the
NYSC Act and to uproot all anomalies experienced in the enlistment of
participants of the NYSC.
The same professor Achebe had stated that: “The trouble with Nigeria
is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing
basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong
with the Nigerian land and climate or water or air or anything else.
The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders
to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example
which are the hallmarks of true leadership”.
As a manifestation of the new zeal within the hierarchy of NYSC, one
amongst the double meetings was held with corps producing institutions
in Africa and other stakeholders with a focus on how best to ensure
that participants of the NYSC are assisted to evolve into sound and
effective citizens.
The hierarchy of the NYSC summed up the reasons for the forum which
had in attendance the heads of producing institutions in Africa
alongside other strategic partners.
The Director General affirmed that: “We have observed in recent
years that the quality of some of the graduates presenting themselves
for mobilization for National Service from foreign institutions,
especially in Africa, did not meet the needed manpower quality to
actualize our national dream”.
He argues more persuasively thus: “This development constitutes risks
and increases the vulnerability of the economy and our social
wellbeing. I wish to place on record that in recent times there have
been an upsurge in the number of graduates who cannot defend their
degree certificates. Some of them can barely read, write or speak
English language which is Nigeria’s official language. This
situation is negating government’s efforts at managing the economy
and addressing other multiple threats to the development of the
country”.
The Director General then made a very shocking disclosure that some
tertiary institutions simply sell their Degree/HND Certificates to
unscrupulous persons who never underwent the rigours that the standard
academic environment demands to merit ownership of the certificate.
Hear him: “We have evidences of persons who possess original of such
Degree/HND Certificates and Transcripts from some universities that
are represented here today. Some of these persons have equally
confessed that their data are in the Database of such institutions. We
are reliably informed that such Certificates and Transcripts cost
between #300,000.00 and #500,000.00.”
He announced that one of the measures to check this anomaly and the
ugly trend of certificate racketeering, is the recommendation to the
Federal Ministry of Education to liaise with the Federal Ministry of
Foreign Affairs to ensure that all Degree and HND Certificates
obtained outside the shores of Nigeria are authenticated at the
Nigerian Consulate in the country of study.
And then proceeded to pronounce as follows: “Therefore, with effect
from the 2019 Batch ‘C’ service year, only academic certificates
authenticated by Nigerian Consulates in countries of study will be
accepted for National Service. Furthermore, all institutions found
culpable in the sale of Degree Certificates will be blacklisted”,
the Director General stressed.
One other issue is that certain institutions are said to be in the bad
practice of issuing certificates to their would-be graduates in the
field that they never studied just to enable these graduates
participate in the scheme because they apply with their original
fields of study which are unaccredited, they would not be allowed to
serve.
At that event, foreign institutions were asked in their own interest
to stick only to accredited courses just as the NYSC is working on
implementing an idea whereby qualification and course of study would
be included in the NYSC Certificates to be issued to participants.
This is a noble idea if implemented.
The management warned foreign institutions to desist from extorting
their graduates through the illegal collection of processing fees
ranging from $100 to $300.
The NYSC has therefore deemed this as an illegal activity. The
management of the NYSC has also asked the foreign institutions to
appoint contact persons in Nigeria who would work in partnership with
the Federal Ministry of Education on issues relating to their
institutions and graduates.
Two other critical issues came up in the presentation made by the
Director General of the NYSC.
These are the issue of running illegal satellite campuses in Nigeria
by foreign universities who issue to their students certificates as if
they studied in their home institutions. The other matter relates to
the parading of fake certificates which was frowned against.
The Director General stated clearly that the parading of fake
certificates by persons seeking to serve in NYSC scheme amounts to a
crime in line with section 13(2) of the NYSC Act, cap N84, laws of the
Federation of Nigeria of 2004. It is expected that subsequently the
law enforcement agencies would effectively combat these cases as
aforementioned.
Similarly, the NYSC met at another brainstorming session on the
National Youth Service Corps Act, N84 laws of the Federation of
Nigeria of 2004 with a view to amongst others; highlight the
operational framework of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act
to enhance clearer understanding by all stakeholders and the general
public.
At the end of the deliberations, the participants resolved that it is
mandatory for all graduates trained within and outside the country to
undertake the national service as prescribed by the NYSC Act.
Conversely, parents/guardians, employers of Labour and all Nigerians
were tasked to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the NYSC Act
to stem the numerous infractions that is currently impairing the
effective and efficient operation of the NYSC Scheme, particularly as
it relates to deployment to states and posting of Primary Assignment.
There was also the compelling need to draw the attention of States and
Local Governments to sections 6(2), 7(3) and 8(3) & (4) of the NYSC
Act which highlighted their statutory obligations to the NYSC,
especially with regards to the provision and maintenance of
orientation camps, office accommodation as well as Corps members’
lodges and other welfare provisions for Corp members.
The need to address through enforcement of relevant disciplinary
sanctions as enshrined in the enabling Act the challenges of willful
infraction of the NYSC Act by various stakeholders, including
mutilation of NYSC Uniform by Corps members, use of the Uniform by
unauthorized persons, evasion of service by qualified graduates as
well as attempts by unqualified persons to be mobilized for service
was forcefully made.
On the essence of beginning the process of fundamentally reforming the
Act it was rightly observed thus: “The time lag between 1973 when the
Scheme was established to today reveal the need to reform some
provisions of both the NYSC Act and Bye-Laws even which obviously have
become obsolete.
It was the unanimous position of the quality audiences and
participants at that forum on the enabling Act of NYSC that the NYSC
Management should institute appropriate legislative procedure for the
amendment of the NYSC Act to improve Corps welfare, enhance the
general operations of the Scheme and properly align the Act to the
provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.
Observing also that the NYSC Bye-Laws is a subsidiary legislation of
the NYSC Act, and also that since the last review in 1993, most of the
provisions of the Bye-Laws have become obsolete, rendering prescribed
sanctions inconsequential, the NYSC Management were powerfully urged
to without further delay set in motion process to update the Bye-Laws
to make its provisions more relevant to current day realities just as
it was observed that some areas of the Bye-Laws conflict with the
NYSC Act, and agreed that NYSC Management needs to address such
inconsistencies to facilitate the implementation of both essential
operational instruments.
The sum total of these loaded practical brainstorming events shows
that there would be light at the end of the tunnel. There is also the
need for the NYSC management to sustain these efforts of getting the
buy in and ownership of the processes of law reform by all the
relevant stakeholders, credible organized civil society community and
youth based groups.
Finally, the role of the media in sensitizing and carrying out
effective enlightenment of the general public on the objectives of the
NYSC and the relevant sections of the NYSC Act cannot be
overemphasized. The Director General himself stated this unambiguously
thus: “Given the current realities and the continuing relevance of the
NYSC, we have recognized the need to provide avenue for enlightenment
of Nigerians on the enabling Act and the various aspects of our
operations. This is based on our firm belief that the roles of
stakeholders are better played if the provisions of the enabling law
are clearly understood.”
The phenomenal policy that led to the successful procurement from the
Federal government of a radio licence by the NYSC is one amongst the
positively constructive steps to empower the youth through quality
information dissemination and enlightenment. It is therefore the
expectation of some of us professionals in the media that competent
media practitioners are hired to administer the broadcasting station
of the NYSC.
*Emmanuel Onwubiko heads HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA
(HURIWA) and blogs @www.emmanuelonwubiko.com [1],
www.huriwa.blogspot.com [2],www.thenigerianinsidermews.com [3].
Links:
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[1] http://www.emmanuelonwubiko.com
[2] http://www.huriwa.blogspot.com
[3] http://www.thenigerianinsidermews.com