The Senate on Thursday ordered its Committee on Sports and Human Development to carryout a comprehensive investigation into circumstances that led to the recent death of three corps members.
The corps members, who died during the ongoing 2016 Batch ‘B’ Orientation Camp of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, are: Chinyerum Nwenenda Elechi, Ifedolapo Oladepo and Monday Asuquo Ukeme, in Bayelsa, Kano and Zamfara states respectively.
The House of Representatives had on Tuesday summoned the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Zakari Kazaure over death of the corps members.
However, the Senate’s resolution followed a motion sponsored by the Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye on the corps members’ death.
Adeyeye, who lamented what he called sad development, noted that corps members’ death has been a recurrent decimal in Nigeria.
NYSC staffers, he submitted, are not up and about as they “unwittingly expose corpers’ lives to death”.
He noted that the NYSC needs overhauling especially in the provision of improved health facilities and experienced personnel.
Speaking on the motion, Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha described the development as mischievous, barbaric and irresponsible.
“And this calls for a rethink about NYSC Act. If you go to the NYSC and die; does it really worth it?” the Senator who called for scrapping, asked.
Also speaking Senator Binta Garba (Adamawa) corroborated Bawacha’s position that NYSC needs overhauling.
“With this development, looking at the NYSC, do you think it is still necessary in Nigeria of today? It shows the NYSC as an agency of Federal Government needs overhauling,” Garba said.
While passing resolutions, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki said the Red Chamber was calling on the Federal Government to equip all orientation camps with improved health facilities and experienced personnel.
The Senate also observed one-minute silence in honour of the late corps members who were described as patriotic, brightest and cerebral Nigerians.
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