Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has suggested the need for the government to boost its security by drafting the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members into the military.
Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), said the insecurity in the country is worrisome and needs drastic efforts.
He spoke at an event in Ibadan, saying that politicians need no blame game to overcome the challenges in the country.
He added that Nigeria is in need of patriotic statesmen and women and not rumour mongers, ethnic crisis entrepreneurs, provincial men of little minds who see everything from the prism of ethnic and religious conspiracy.
On the ways to defeat insecurity, Fayemi suggested that the government needed to amend the law setting up the Nation Youths Service Corps (NYSC).
He said the existing orientation camps can be used to train willing and able graduates to combat the insecurity, adding that corps members who cannot join the military services can serve in their community without pay.
“By available statistics, we need a minimum of 200,000 personnel to boost the fighting power of our men.
“This number is very large and a potential financial and logistic nightmare, yet we cannot delay any further.
“The ungoverned spaces needed to be closed up quickly by motivated men with the singular objective to save the nation. That takes us to the number two issue of financing and arming large recruitment.
“With this, we can use the existing orientation camps to train willing and able graduates to reflate the security personnel under a special arrangement that will be worked out.
“That way, the fund that is currently deployed to the NYSC can be used with just some additional funding, which could be sourced through a national emergency fund for the next five to 10 years.
“Those who cannot join the military services can serve in their community without pay if we must still retain the NYSC for everyone.
“To incentivise those who may volunteer to serve, they will have a separate certificate and medal of honour in addition to having priority for military, paramilitary and civil or public service recruitment after service.
“We also need to encourage investment in the real sectors that can engage people and reduce unemployment, which is a major source of insecurity,” Fayemi said.