BY- EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN
Before the recent reform announcement, many Nigerians had called for the scrapping of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), while others called for a reform. Critics argued that the scheme poses significant risks to corps members posted to high-risk regions, while others claimed the program is outdated and it's an inefficient use of time.
In response to these concerns, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) announced on Monday, June 29, 2026, that it had approved a structural overhaul to reposition the scheme. The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, stated that the reforms are necessary because "our needs as a country have changed." According to the Minister, the new framework will transition the NYSC from its current mobilization model to one centered on skills development, employability, and national unity.
In this commentary, I will refrain from discussing the debate regarding the iconic uniform to address a more pressing issue. A genuine reform must include a commitment to ending practices that are inefficient, dishonest, or damaging to the scheme's reputation. If the Federal Government truly intends to reposition the NYSC, it must address the "ghost corpsing" phenomenon to ensure the program is built on integrity, fairness, and accountability.
Before I participated in the service year in 2021/2022, "ghost corpsing" the practice of corps members receiving payment without performing their assigned duties was already a known secret. It is very wrong to receive a government allowance for work that was never performed. This is similar to the rot within the civil service, where individuals abandon their duties, skip work with no good reason or pad payrolls with the names of non-existing staff to siphon public funds. Some may treat this as trivial because it involves the government, no private business owner would tolerate such theft in their establishment.
If these new reforms are to be successful, they must curb this fraudulent practice. The government intends to tackle youth unemployment through skills acquisition, but integrity must be the foundation of this effort.
There are two primary groups that facilitate this menace: corrupt NYSC officials in charge of clearance, and supervisors at some Places of Primary Assignment (PPAs) who sign attendance and monthly clearance forms for absentees. This behavior goes against the NYSC Act. The law states the punishment for any act of fraud or breaking the rules. This includes prosecution, loss of allowances, and being blacklisted from receiving the Certificate of National Service.
Currently, some PPA supervisors sign documents for absentees out of personal favours or bribery, while some NYSC local government inspectors look away for personal gain. Technology could solve this. Implementing biometric or facial-recognition clock-ins, GPS-tagged attendance apps, and radom checks by independent monitors would help sanitize the system. While critics may point to epileptic power supply in rural areas or the lack of smartphones as obstacles, the government could mitigate these by prioritizing surprise, in-person visits to PPAs by independent task forces.
The core question remains: why should the government pay for services that were never rendered? This is a drain on public resources that must be stopped.
Many young Nigerians are eager to serve, gain experience, and acquire skills as they transition into the labor market. It is deeply unfair for "ghost" corps members to collect pay while others serve wholeheartedly. Those were committed to the scheme should be rewarded financially and professionally for their actual contributions. As a journalist, I believe integrity must be the bedrock of the new NYSC.
If this menace is not addressed, the new system will inherit the same rot. Imagine a corps member learning a skill for six weeks, then disappearing for the remaining 11 months while still collecting a salary. This would defeat the purpose of "skills development" and essentially teach participants that fraud is another career path.
By addressing this issue, the government can ensure it invests in citizens who are genuinely eager to contribute to national development. A balanced approach that rewards those who serve, and punish those who exploit the system is the only way forward.
In your view, who bears the most responsibility for "ghost corpsing"?
Corrupt NYSC officials, corps members who fail to serve, or the posting system that assigns graduates to PPAs with no real work?
Share your perspective and reasons below.