The House of Representatives on Tuesday took steps to create a smooth transition into the labour market for discharged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
The Green Chamber urged the Federal Government to work out a plan that would enable discharged NYSC members to be retained in their primary places of assignment for one year after their national service.
The House also asked the National Directorate of Employment to carry out a survey and develop a database that would track the employment status of graduates and corps members, which would be made essential for evidence-based decision-making.
Adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Muhammad Muktar, the House also asked the Executive arm of government to create a body, under the supervision of the Ministries of Youth and Education, to coordinate the screening and payment/disbursement processes.
Muktar said that the NYSC, under the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, plays a significant role in helping graduates acquire skills by allowing them to gain real-world experiences.
According to him, the places of primary assignments where corps members are posted enable them to acquire practical skills and experiences that correspond with their level of education and work habits, as well as possibly lead them to direct contact with potential employers.
Also, the House set up a fact-finding committee to interface with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) on the certification and academic pursuit of Nigerian medical students who returned to the country from war-torn Ukraine.
The committee is to discuss with the MDCN the challenges involving the medical students with a view to providing better and lasting solutions to their challenges.
In its resolution on a motion by Hon. Anthony Adebayo Adepoju and Hon. Najimdeen Oyeshina Oyedeji, the House asked the fact-finding committee to discuss extensively with the council on the matter, which has been lingering in the last one year, and report back to the House within five days.
Also, the House of Representatives urged the Federal Government to improve national security by prioritising and influencing the development of viable local economies in border communities across Nigeria.
The Green Chamber also urged the Federal Government to adequately fund the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) to effectively carry out its mandate.
It advised the BCDA to ensure the development of border communities by providing them with fundamental social amenities as well as partnering with relevant agencies to improve their capacity for self-sustenance, revenue generation, and abstinence from crime and its enticements.
The House mandated its Committee on Special Duties (when constituted) to ensure implementation.
These resolutions were adopted following a motion, titled: “Need to Develop Border Communities Across the Country”, sponsored by Hon. Hussaini Mohammed Jallo.
The House noted that the effectiveness of a country’s national security is determined, to a large extent, by the level of protection at its borders, as well as its capacity to enforce border security for its own territorial wellbeing, sovereign integrity, internal socio-economic progress and development.
