Corps Members Celebrate as FG Lifts NYSC Posting Restrictions

The Federal Government has lifted all restrictions on the posting of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, sparking widespread jubilation.

This announcement was conveyed in a memo dated November 18, 2024, from the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, to the NYSC Director General. The directive will take effect with the commencement of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation Course.

According to Olawande, the decision aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision to ensure that all government ministries, agencies, and parastatals work cohesively towards addressing the nation’s socio-economic challenges, particularly youth unemployment.

“President Tinubu is deeply concerned about the rising rate of youth unemployment. He expects the Ministry of Youth Development and its agencies to play a leading role in tackling this issue,” the minister stated in a release by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Omolara Esan, in Abuja.

Background on Posting Restrictions

The existing NYSC posting policy, introduced during the tenure of former Minister Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, limited corps members to four sectors: Education, Agriculture, Health, and Infrastructure. This policy aimed to curb the misuse of corps members as cheap labor by private organizations and align postings with national development priorities.

While the rationale behind the restriction was well-intentioned, Olawande highlighted its unintended consequences, including limiting corps members’ ability to gain practical experience in their fields of study. This, he noted, has hampered their readiness for the competitive job market.

The New Directive

The minister’s directive includes the following key changes:

• Lifting of All Posting Restrictions: Corps members will no longer be limited to specific sectors.
• Field-Specific Postings: Efforts will be made to assign corps members to placements aligned with their areas of study.
• Inclusion of Private Sector Opportunities: Selected banks, oil and gas companies, and other private organizations will now be eligible for corps member postings, starting with Lagos and Abuja.

“I hereby revoke all previous directives relating to posting restrictions. This directive will ensure corps members are deployed to places where they can acquire relevant skills and contribute meaningfully to national development,” Olawande emphasized.

The revised policy, which takes effect immediately with the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation Course, is expected to expand opportunities for corps members, improve their employability, and contribute to reducing youth unemployment nationwide.