April 20, (THEWILL) – Olubankole Wellington, professionally known as Banky W, has advised the Federal Government to make the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), optional for graduates.
In an interview with Channels TV, he stated that there are several graduates undergoing the schemes, who are not interested in it.
He revealed that if it is made optional, the government would be able to save resources when graduates, who are not interested, withdraw from the programme.
According to him, such resources can be used to facilitate innovation and equip youths with the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.
“At least, half of the youths who do NYSC might not need it. You have people go for NYSC and just sign a paper somewhere and give somebody money, so that they may say they have it and then take off to do whatever.
“Is this programme really achieving what it is really meant to? Or can we consider doing it differently. Can we consider amending the constitution, so that we can say this thing is no longer compulsory, it is optional?
“When you do that, the people who don’t need it will not do it, so you already saved resources. You can use that resources to give youth the skillset that is useful in this century we’re in and not just say ‘we have always done it like this. Come, stand, march, smile, take a selfie and then you have served your country.”
With this remark, the singer joins those advocating for a reform of the scheme, which was established in 1973.
Last year, the house of representatives had considered a bill seeking to scrap the scheme, but Shuaibu Ibrahim, NYSC director general dismissed the argument that the scheme should be scrapped.
Ibrahim said the NYSC is crucial in the course of building a united country.
The singer recently declared his interest to represent Eti Osa federal constituency in the house of representatives in 2023, on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In 2019, he contested the same position under the Modern Democratic Party (MDP), but lost to Babajide Obanikoro of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the polls.