Why the NYSC Scheme was established

Have you ever wondered why the NYSC scheme was established? "Necessity," they say, "is the mother of invention". National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) happened to be a brainchild of necessity.

 The end of the civil war saw Nigerians enmeshed in ethnic suspicions, unhealthy rivalry, mutual distrust, religious bigotry and tribal intolerance.  Other problems which plagued Nigeria as a developing country were poverty, mass illiteracy, acute shortage of high-skilled man power etc.  In the attempt to tackle these problems and meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people, the Government under General Yakubu Gowon, in realization that the youth constitute a dominant force for national mobilization and growth and, as such, have a crucial role to play in the all important task of nation building established the National Youth Service Corps by decree No. 24 of 22^nd May, 1973.  This decree was later repealed and replaced by decree No. 51 of 16^th June, 1993 which is now an Act of National Assembly.