The Executive Director of the Centre for Responsive Governance, Mr. Ologun, has called on the Federal Government to suspend the proposed reforms of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) until comprehensive public hearings are conducted.

He argued that the current process lacks adequate stakeholder engagement.

Ologun made the call during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, on Monday.

He acknowledged that the NYSC scheme requires reforms, saying it has gradually lost some of the relevance and objectives for which it was established.

However, he maintained that any review of the scheme must be holistic, inclusive and driven by extensive consultations with stakeholders.

According to him, the government should halt further action on the proposed reforms until opinions are gathered through public hearings involving youth development experts, advocacy groups, professionals and other interested stakeholders.

"The recommendation and the provision of it should be suspended until the right thing is done, which is obtaining opinions and ideas through public hearing by everyone interested and involved in issues relating to youth development," he said.

Ologun criticised what he described as the government's tendency to rush policy decisions without adequately addressing underlying challenges.

"There's no doubt that the NYSC has been due for review because it has almost lost its relevance and the intent of its founding fathers. But when we eventually choose to address issues, we don't do so holistically or the way they should be addressed," he stated.

He argued that there was no urgency requiring the government to bypass due process, insisting that reforms affecting millions of Nigerian youths should emerge from broad public engagement rather than executive decisions alone.

The governance advocate also questioned the emphasis being placed on entrepreneurship in the proposed reforms, noting that entrepreneurship development is already embedded in the NYSC programme through several existing intervention schemes.

According to him, corps members currently benefit from multiple initiatives that provide access to grants, loans, business registration support and entrepreneurship training.

"As I speak, there are about five schemes within the NYSC that provide young people with loans, grants and entrepreneurship support.

"These programmes already exist and many corps members have benefited from them," he said.

Rather than introducing what he described as existing initiatives as new reforms, Ologun urged the government to strengthen, harmonise and improve the programmes already in operation.

He also opposed the reported proposal to replace military leadership of the NYSC with civilian management, describing the move as politically motivated.

According to him, one of the enduring strengths of the NYSC has been its ability to instil discipline, responsibility and a regimented lifestyle in young graduates through military and paramilitary participation during orientation camps.

"One of the things the NYSC has achieved over the years is discipline among young people. The military structure teaches punctuality, responsibility and prepares graduates for life beyond the classroom. Removing that structure would weaken one of the scheme's greatest strengths," he said.

Ologun further alleged that replacing military leadership with civilians could create additional political appointments rather than strengthen the institution, warning that increased bureaucracy and political patronage could undermine the effectiveness of the scheme.

He urged the Federal Government to prioritise institutional strengthening over structural changes, insisting that reforms should focus on improving existing programmes while preserving the discipline and national integration objectives that have defined the NYSC since its establishment.