Yesterday at the lower chamber in Abuja, a bill seeking to amend the National Youth Service Corps Act to, among other proposals, make the compulsory one-year national youth service for under-30 graduates optional suffered a setback as some lawmakers from the Northern part rejected it
The bill, which also seeks to create more allowances for NYSC members and make it optional for someone who graduates at 30 and above to obtain a Certificate of Exemption, failed to pass second reading as it faced stiff opposition, especially from members of the House from the North.
Those who criticised the bill include the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase (Plateau); Majority Whip, Mohammed Monguno (Borno); Ahmad Jaha (Borno), Leke Abejide (Kogi), among others.
The legislation is titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Youth Service Corps Act, Cap. N84 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Review Upward the Accommodation and Transport Allowances of Corps Members in Line with Current Realities; and for Related Matters.’
The bill, which is jointly sponsored by Messrs Eta Mbora, Abass Adigun, Ben Igbakapa, Moshood Akinolu and Oluyemi Taiwo, is a product of harmonisation of Bills 716, 1305, 1657, 1922, 1945 and 1674, which were separately sponsored by the lawmakers.
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