“NYSC Should Be Optional” – Daniel Regha Says

Social media influencer Daniel Regha has sparked a conversation about the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Nigeria.

Regha posted on X (formerly Twitter),

“NYSC should be made optional, with equal job opportunities for those who choose to serve & those who opt out. Scrap it completely and we’ll lose jobs for NYSC staff and we can’t trust the govt to fix these people somewhere else, hence why it should be made OPTIONAL.”

The NYSC was established in 1973 to promote national unity and integration by posting graduates to different parts of the country for a year of service. Over the years, there have been debates about its relevance and some have called for its reform or cancellation. In January 2023, a bill to make NYSC optional and increase corps members allowance was introduced in the House of Representatives but was stepped down for further legislative action.

Regha is suggesting that the program should be made optional to address the problem of job loss for NYSC staff if the program is scrapped entirely. He is saying we should have equal employment opportunities for all graduates regardless of their service year.

Regha’s post attracted several mixed reactions and comments. Celebrity Note has gathered some of them:

@VictorB63947 said, “Who will agree with anyone’s opinion, that’s the problem”

@godwin49624 said, “So you know it’s a job opportunity from the government and you are supporting the lady who is criticising the government that gave her opportunity to work, make God help una wey say una be influential oo”

@The_MegaX said, “Making it optional makes sense, but knowing this country, even optional go still get wahala”

@MrFacts0 said, “I think it should still be made mandatory…but the I advice that the corpers should just have it at the heart that it’s a voluntary service without really banking on the stipends”

@JoelDiamond10 recalled, “My friend lost her life on her way to NYSC camp 2yrs ago. I keep saying no use after all this stress no work no nothing is just working”

While the discussion about NYSC continues, the federal government has refused to budge on the program’s importance. The Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, said making NYSC optional or scrapping it entirely is not on the table, stressing the scheme’s role in national unity.

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