Mr. Eddy Megwa, the Coordinator of the Lagos State National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has stated that corps members are underpaid for the services they provide.

Megwa told The Nation in an interview last Saturday at the NYSC Iyana Ipaja camp that corps members contributed so much – particularly in the health and education sectors – that their loss would be noticed if the system was discontinued.

He said: “NYSC is delivering an exceptional service to this Nigeria since 1973. Look at the doctors, they are posted to areas indigenes find it difficult to work; rural health centres, that is where we post our doctors.

“Look at the educational sector, without NYSC, there is no how the educational institutions will stand. In most schools, corps are principals, head masters.

“I tell you what, this nation is enjoying so much via the services of these young ones. How much are they paying them? If you pull it out, the nation will find it difficult to fill the gap that they have been filling for now,” he said.

Megwa, speaking after a colorful event commemorating the scheme’s 48th anniversary, said that citing insecurity as a rationale for its abolition was insufficient because insecurity existed in society regardless of the NYSC. “Insecurity has been going on for years and we have had students being kidnapped from schools. Now, have we called for the institutions to be closed down permanently? No!”

Speaking about how the camp was COVID-free, Megwa said the directorate took strict efforts to guarantee corps members, officials, and guests were all tested before entering.

Only one of the approximately 2,000 corps members tested positive, according to Megwa, and was treated.

“She returned to camp 10 days later to join the activities after testing negative,” he said

Saturday’s celebration, tagged the Unity Match, featured a parade by the corps members platoon by platoon. They displayed banners with messages of unity, including: “NYSC, a rallying point for cultural integration;’’ “Nation building is our mandate, we must strive to make Nigeria great;” “NYSC puts the nation first;” “In diversity we bond, in unity we stand”, among others. Some corps members also came out to talk about the achievements of the scheme.

Sulaiman Ibrahim, a graduate of the Lagos State University (LASU), said: “The scrapping of NYSC is not a good idea at all. NYSC should remain because it gives us the opportunity to move around. Some people have been staying in Lagos; they have never visited any other state. But because of the NYSC, they go to the north, south, east or west,” he said.

The activity finished with a festival that featured the corps members dressed in artistically made tee-shirts on jeans.

Source: The Nations