The third batch of the mandatory National Youth Service Corps,
NYSC, (Batch C), Tuesday resumed across the federation. Under the
Nigerian law, the scheme, a mandatory one-year
programme, must be observed by graduates that have completed
their tertiary education in the county or abroad. As expected, the
current NYSC Orientation Camp is witnessing a
moderate turn out. This is not unexpected as students in government-owned
universities could not join the train due to the ongoing strike by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. The union had on July 1,
issued a sit-at-home order to its
members in protest of the refusal of the Federal Government to
implement the 2009 agreement signed under the late Umaru Musa
Yar'adua administration. However, there seems to be an end in sight to
the impasse, as
President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly endorsed a 5-year
N1.1trillion funding for the nation's varsities. Insiders say should
the striking lecturers accept the offer, the four
months old deadlock that has paralyzed campuses may end within
a week. When our reporter visited the NYSC camp in Gbazango in Kubwa
Village, Tuesday morning, corps members were seen arriving in
less numbers than the usual. A Computer Science graduate of Crawford
University, Igbesa, who spoke to DailyPost
said he expects a "half-full camp." "The ASUU strike is obviously
taking its toll. My friends in
government universities are all feeling bad because they could not
make it," he said. "But I believe most of them will be mobilized for
2014 Batch 'A',
since the President is now in charge of the negotiation." In a
separate chat with DailyPost, Bridget Okon, a Linguistic
student of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, lamented her inability
to be part of the exercise. "My hope was that I would serve this year.
I was in Chapter 2 of
my final project when the strike commenced. "We all thought it
wouldn't last a month. We were wrong; four
months of our lives wasted. "They keep holding meetings; we read and
hear all kinds of
stories. Personally, I don't know what to believe anymore," she
complained. However, security was tight at the Orientation Camp as men of the
Nigerian Army and Police were seen thoroughly screening
graduates before entry. The road leading to the premises was
barricaded 100 meters on
both sides, away from the main gate. Also, only accredited cars
belonging to NYSC staff, security and
other relevant agencies were allowed passage.
--
Faith Olaniran
Mobile lines: +234-8062723258, +234-8074695684,
www.faitholaniran.blogspot.com
Twitter:@olaniranfaith
facebook:Faith Oluwalose Olaniran
A Seeker of the Unknown to man but Known to God.
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