₦airaland Forum

‎Beyond NYSC Reform: Why FG Must End The "Ghost Corps" Menace Now [Opinion]
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‎BY- EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA BENJAMIN
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‎Before the recent reform announcement, many Nigerians had called for the scrapping of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), while others called for a reform. Critics argued that the scheme poses significant risks to corps members posted to high-risk regions, while others claimed the program is outdated and it's an inefficient use of time.
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‎In response to these concerns, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) announced on Monday, June 29, 2026, that it had approved a structural overhaul to reposition the scheme. The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, stated that the reforms are necessary because "our needs as a country have changed." According to the Minister, the new framework will transition the NYSC from its current mobilization model to one centered on skills development, employability, and national unity.
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‎In this commentary, I will refrain from discussing the debate regarding the iconic uniform to address a more pressing issue. A genuine reform must include a commitment to ending practices that are inefficient, dishonest, or damaging to the scheme's reputation. If the Federal Government truly intends to reposition the NYSC, it must address the "ghost corpsing" phenomenon to ensure the program is built on integrity, fairness, and accountability.
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‎Before I participated in the service year in 2021/2022, "ghost corpsing" the practice of corps members receiving payment without performing their assigned duties was already a known secret. It is very wrong to receive a government allowance for work that was never performed. This is similar to the rot within the civil service, where individuals abandon their duties, skip work with no good reason or pad payrolls with the names of non-existing staff to siphon public funds. Some may treat this as trivial because it involves the government, no private business owner would tolerate such theft in their establishment.
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‎If these new reforms are to be successful, they must curb this fraudulent practice. The government intends to tackle youth unemployment through skills acquisition, but integrity must be the foundation of this effort.
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‎There are two primary groups that facilitate this menace: corrupt NYSC officials in charge of clearance, and supervisors at some Places of Primary Assignment (PPAs) who sign attendance and monthly clearance forms for absentees. This behavior goes against the NYSC Act. The law states the punishment for any act of fraud or breaking the rules. This includes prosecution, loss of allowances, and being blacklisted from receiving the Certificate of National Service.
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‎Currently, some PPA supervisors sign documents for absentees out of personal favours or bribery, while some NYSC local government inspectors look away for personal gain. Technology could solve this. Implementing biometric or facial-recognition clock-ins, GPS-tagged attendance apps, and radom checks by independent monitors would help sanitize the system. While critics may point to epileptic power supply in rural areas or the lack of smartphones as obstacles, the government could mitigate these by prioritizing surprise, in-person visits to PPAs by independent task forces.
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‎The core question remains: why should the government pay for services that were never rendered? This is a drain on public resources that must be stopped.
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‎Many young Nigerians are eager to serve, gain experience, and acquire skills as they transition into the labor market. It is deeply unfair for "ghost" corps members to collect pay while others serve wholeheartedly. Those were committed to the scheme should be rewarded financially and professionally for their actual contributions. As a journalist, I believe integrity must be the bedrock of the new NYSC.
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‎If this menace is not addressed, the new system will inherit the same rot. Imagine a corps member learning a skill for six weeks, then disappearing for the remaining 11 months while still collecting a salary. This would defeat the purpose of "skills development" and essentially teach participants that fraud is another career path.
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‎By addressing this issue, the government can ensure it invests in citizens who are genuinely eager to contribute to national development. A balanced approach that rewards those who serve, and punish those who exploit the system is the only way forward.
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‎In your view, who bears the most responsibility for "ghost corpsing"?
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‎Corrupt NYSC officials, corps members who fail to serve, or the posting system that assigns graduates to PPAs with no real work?
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‎Share your perspective and reasons below.
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Ghosting has been happening since as far back as my parents time in the late 70s/early 80s, some prefer to forfeit their entire allowance.

dominique:
Ghosting has been happening since as far back as my parents time in the late 70s/early 80s, some prefer to forfeit their entire allowance.

From what I saw in 2021/2022 and from what people are saying, it’s 3 types of people:

1. PPA mismatch - posted to somewhere with no work so they just give up
2. Lazy and incompetent ones - don’t want to serve but still want the money
3. "I am hustling" people - say they have businesses. Some into prostitution and some do illegal stuff, some are just sitting at home but still want to get paid

Na monitoring be the problem. If they monitor well, this thing go reduce.

OP what about those who are permanent corpers? They do POP every year and come back into the system. It's such a mess.

So because of the ghost agency, you want to attain perceptiveness.

Kindly go through the article, before dropping your opinion next time.

Ghost corpers aint going away until you fix insecurities

When my dad serve in 1962 there wasn't any ghosting. All coppers must be physically present at the camp grand. It was after the civil war that everything changed and NYSC became bad.

SixSeven:
OP what about those who are permanent corpers? They do POP every year and come back into the system. It's such a mess.

I find this hard to believe, I'm not saying it's not possible though because the reality in Nigeria is anything is possible if you know who and who to approach.

SixSeven:
OP what about those who are permanent corpers? They do POP every year and come back into the system. It's such a mess.

What happened to senate lists that got uploaded always? What happened to biometric verification? How is that possible 🤔🤔🤔

Gbadugbakun:
When my dad serve in 1962 there wasn't any ghosting. All coppers must be physically present at the camp grand. It was after the civil war that everything changed and NYSC became bad.

Nysc started in 1973 how did your dad start in 1962 ?

Gbadugbakun:
When my dad serve in 1962 there wasn't any ghosting. All coppers must be physically present at the camp grand. It was after the civil war that everything changed and NYSC became bad.

NYSC started after the civil war, so it's not possible for your dad to serve in 1962

EgungwuChukwuka:
‎In your view, who bears the most responsibility for "ghost corpsing"?
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‎Corrupt NYSC officials, corps members who fail to serve, or the posting system that assigns graduates to PPAs with no real work?
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‎Share your perspective and reasons below.

Should they employ you, so u go around in every state, each PPA daily looking for ghost corps member?

SixSeven:
OP what about those who are permanent corpers? They do POP every year and come back into the system. It's such a mess.

That's one hell of an allegation. I'm sure NYSC will be more than happy to have such loophole exposed.

Gbadugbakun:
When my dad serve in 1962 there wasn't any ghosting. All coppers must be physically present at the camp grand. It was after the civil war that everything changed and NYSC became bad.

Your dad must be Tinubu them dey complete their own finish, before the establishment of the organization or school

SixSeven:
OP what about those who are permanent corpers? They do POP every year and come back into the system. It's such a mess.

Oh boy, this can't be possible na.

frankmoney:
Nysc started in 1973 how did your dad start in 1962 ?

OlujobaSamuel:
NYSC started after the civil war, so it's not possible for your dad to serve in 1962

bobonla:
Your dad must be Tinubu them dey complete their own finish, before the establishment of the organization or school

I saw his certificate ok? I know they rebranded it in the 70s after the civil war. But NYSC was established in 1960 immediately after independence.

I will ghost notjing go sup

Be like say you forget say na Nigeria you dey abi? They must find a way to cheat the system. It's innate about Black people.

Gbadugbakun:
I saw his certificate ok? I know they rebranded it in the 70s after the civil war. But NYSC was established in 1960 immediately after independence.

Baba na lie, we're talking about NYSC and not independence. Maybe na different thing you see not NYSC. NYSC was never established in the 60's. You think ur talking to gullible? We know history na. Stop disgracing ur father here.

OlujobaSamuel:
NYSC started after the civil war, so it's not possible for your dad to serve in 1962

Ewooo… see sliding back tackle

Gbadugbakun:
I saw his certificate ok? I know they rebranded it in the 70s after the civil war. But NYSC was established in 1960 immediately after independence.

U shaa want force the left to right by all means after them don nab you….:. Its not too late to admit u goofed… we are online nobody will beat you…….

EgungwuChukwuka:
‎In your view, who bears the most responsibility for "ghost corpsing"?
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‎Corrupt NYSC officials, corps members who fail to serve, or the posting system that assigns graduates to PPAs with no real work?
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‎Share your perspective and reasons below.

There are some corrupt practice that is almost impossible to checkmate because of the nature of the system…

The NYC system is too large to enforce nation wide compliance …the system is already too expensive to run…
. Many corp members dont even get posting because the PpA rejects them….this is where this issue started from before it graduated into a corrupt collaboration btw corpers and clearance officers

Gbadugbakun:
When my dad serve in 1962 there wasn't any ghosting. All coppers must be physically present at the camp grand. It was after the civil war that everything changed and NYSC became bad.

NYSC started in 1973 after the civil war. How come your father served in 1962?

It's impossible to end it...the financial implication and manpower required is too much

Bro fear God o, which kain lie be this, your dad serve in 1962 haba this lie too much na, at least pity your papa, no dey disgrace the old man online.





@Gbadugbakun

I ghosted during my time but I didn't spend #1 out of my money. I was posted to ikole in ekiti to one school in the village side. As a programmer I knew I was going to be wasting a year because they hardly give them light. They can go for 2 to 3 months without seeing light and when they bring it, it won't last for 3 hours. That was how arranged with my principal and my LGI. They were both collecting 25k out of the 33k allawee and also I had do come from Lagos to ikole every month for clearance and there were month I stayed for a cds.

This happens because NYSC isn't optional. We're forced into it with threats of lack of better jobs without the certificate

https://www.nairaland.com/8555582/nysc-reform-suggestions

jojothaiv:
I find this hard to believe, I'm not saying it's not possible though because the reality in Nigeria is anything is possible if you know who and who to approach.

I know it sounds ridiculous and someone quoted me about Senate list and all of that, what they don't know is that the corpers allowance is what drives them to do this. They are on government's payroll every year.

If someone else can represent you for a year (impersonation, what is hard in drawing from FG's payroll?

You can pay....wait 1 year...and your certificate will be delivered to your house.

Chai bros, you no try at all, you no respect your Papa at all.
You sure say no be boy scout your Papa join for 1962? You no read am well.
No make people to start suspect your father for Oluwole doings

Gbadugbakun:
I saw his certificate ok? I know they rebranded it in the 70s after the civil war. But NYSC was established in 1960 immediately after independence.