The Senate has urged the Federal Government to overhaul the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the interest of corps members and all stakeholders.
The resolution on Thursday followed a review of the death of three corps members – Miss Oladepo, Miss Elechi Chiyerom and Mr. Ukeme Asuquo in orientation camps in Kano, Zamfara and Bayelsa.
Chief Whip Senator Olusola Adeyeye, (Osun Central) described the deaths of the corps members at the NYSC camps as an avoidable act.
Besides total overhaul of the scheme, the Senate urged the government to immediately improve medical facilities in all NYSC orientation camps including deploying experienced medical personnel in the camps.
Adeyeye said: “The death of corps members is becoming a recurrent decimal in almost all NYSC Camps across the country. Experienced medical personnel are practically non-existent in all our Orientation Camps across the country as fresh doctors who have not garnered any experience are the ones administering treatments to corps members.
“Medical facilities at most Orientation Camps leave a lot to be desired as one of the deceased, Ifedolapo called home five hours to her death and told her sister, Mrs. Oyeyode Abimbola (a nurse) to start coming to her Kano Orientation Camp, alleging poor care at the NYSC camp.
“An Orientation Camp that houses over 3,000 corps members cannot boast of modern facilities to cater for the needs of corps members while undergoing the mandatory Orientation Programme.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South) described the death of the corps members as a sad development.
Bwacha said, “What I have heard confirms what I thought was in the realm of speculations. It may not have been intentional, but I think it was an act of irresponsibility. How can we not provide medical attention to a sick person? We look forward to the outcome of the investigation.
