Challenges of NYSC Scheme in Promoting the 3Rs Principles in Nigeria

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The official strategy of ‘Reconciliation, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation,’ also known as the three R’s, was developed after the conclusion of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war in order to reintegrate the separatist and seccessionist Biafra into the larger Nigerian federation. However, forty years later, clear evidence abounds that this strategy collapsed miserably in not addressing the issues that led to the battle, including grievances about inequality, marginalization, alienation, faulty federalism, and inappropriate sectional dominance. Many of these factors contribute to civil instability, violent rebellion, and insurgency. However, policy interventions are expected to prevent a descent into anarchy (Ukago, 2000).

The unlearned lessons of the war are now at the heart of the current crisis in the Niger-Delta, where unrelenting militancy and indescribable lawlessness have manifested as challenges to national and sub-regional stability, necessitating President Yar’dua to unravel policy options for all insurgents in order to prevent Nigeria’s “next civil war.” As a result, the paper contends that there is a verifiable nexus, if not a siamese interconnectedness, between Nigeria’s growing instability and policy failures. It emphasizes the importance of wealth and their inequitable allocation in the present march toward odium.

Most critically, the paper grounds the concerns and cross-cutting questions in the clear and tangible realities of a shattered stability along the Benin and Biafra Bights, with the potential for a conflagration engulfing the whole West African subregion. The sub-potential region’s alliance of “resource insurgents” would almost inevitably transform it into another Yugoslavia, since “the next civil war” in Nigeria would transcend the 1967-1970 imbrioglio’s territorial limits, endangering international peace and prosperity from the Gulf of Guinea to the entire West coast of Africa. That would also put the world’s energy security in jeopardy (Ukago, 2017).

Insecurity has increased in the country is posing a threat to the main reason for the creation of the NYSC program. It is now being discussed according to an article published on peoples gazette (2021), that the program has lost its usefulness and is to be scrapped off completely.

 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

A series of challenges over the years since inception of the National Youth Service Corp program was initiated in 1973 has sprung up. Over the years, these challenges have become a thorn on the side of the government in promoting the 3R’s principle (Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation), which was the main reason why the NYSC program was initiated after the violent civil war. Challenges such as increased insecurity in the country have even led the government to rethink the NYSC program and this might lead to the government scrapping the program off completely.

This study seeks to investigate the various challenges facing the government in the promotion of the 3R’s principle in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.      To determine the various challenges facing the NYSC scheme in the promotion of the 3R’s principle.

2.      To determine the effects of these challenges on the NYSC scheme.

3.      To proffer possible solutions to the various challenges preventing the promotion of the 3R’s principle.

  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.      What are the various challenges facing the NYSC scheme in the promotion of the 3R’s principle?

2.      What are the effects of these challenges on the NYSC scheme?

3.      What possible solutions can be proffered to the various challenges preventing the promotion of the 3R’s principle?

 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be helpful to the government in the realization of the challenges that are preventing the proper implementation of the 3R’s principle in the NYSC scheme. This study will also assist the government by providing possible solutions that will bring an end to the challenges preventing the NYSC scheme. It will also be helpful to other researchers who wish to delve deeper and streamline the challenges in order to give a broader view.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will only cover only the challenges faced by the government in promoting the 3R’s principle. It will also cover the effects of these challenges on the NYSC scheme and possible solutions that will curb these challenges.

 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

During the course of this study, the researcher was limited by insufficient time to delve deeper and broaden every challenge facing the promotion of the NYSC 3R’s principle.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

1.      NYSC SCHEME:  A program set up by the Nigerian government to involve Nigerian graduates in nation building and the development of the country

3R PRINCIPLES: Simply refers to the three reasons for the creation of the NYSC scheme, these principles are Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation.