The House of Representatives say it will not restrict the posting of corps members to any part of the federation through legislation.
The Chairman, House Committee on Youth Development, Hon. Kamil Akinlabi (ACN-Oyo), said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Friday.
?Akinlabi said that although the proposed amendment to the NYSC Act had scaled through second reading, the House was not contemplating the restriction of corps members’ posting to any part of the federation.
?According to him, the NYSC was set up to ensure national integration, adding that how do you integrate when you have not meet the people you have not met before?
?“So, there may not be compelling legislation or else the aim of the scheme will be defeated, what we are trying to do is to make every states conducive for corps members as long as they’re there.
“To make sure they are provided for in the areas of welfare, in the areas of security, in the area of their personal need, so, that will encourage them to live where ever they found themselves either in school or in a locality, anywhere, that is the essence.”
Commenting on the state of orientation camps in the country, Akinlabi said the NYSC Act imposed some responsibilities on state governments, to provide for the welfare of corps members.
He, however, frowned at the way corps members were being treated, saying the ongoing amendment would strengthen the partnership between the state and federal governments?
?“The NYSC Act is presently being amended, that is the critical areas we want to look into, because without the partnership with the state the federal government alone would not be able to cope.
“And apart from that, these youth corps members come from all the nooks and cranny of the federation.
“If you are a Governor in Borno, your citizenS are in Kano, it is your responsibility to take care of him/her, if you are in Borno your citizen are in Lagos it is your responsibility.
“If you contribute to the NYSC scheme in your state, you are actually providing the need for your citizen anywhere else, that is the kind of coordinating activities that reside in that Act and that is the area we want to amend and make it a kind of compelling legislation that the state administration will know that they are responsible to this scheme.’’
?Akinlabi decried the poor state of infrastructure at the 30-year old NYSC orientation camp in Kubwa and urged the FCT administration to address the problems.
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