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Tag: NYSC

  • Siasia’s Dream Team thrash NYSC

    Siasia’s Dream Team thrash NYSC

    Samson Siasia’s Nigeria’s U/23 side defeated  NYSC football team 3-0 on Saturday as he continued to screen players for the Dream Team.

    The ex-international, who led the Dream Team to the finals of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing where his team couldn’t hold back a Lionel Messi inspired Argentina team from picking the gold medal, saw his experimental team defeat  NYSC team who put up an impressive display in the friendly match played at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja.

    Among prominent figures in the stands to watch the game was the Director General of the NYSC Brig. Gen. Johnson Olawumi, who came to give his boys all the support.

    The entertaining game started at about 4.15pm, with the Samson Siasia led boys parading the likes of Etim Mathew and Samuel Adegbenro dictating the pace of the game as Azubuike held sway in the midfield, while Samuel Adegbenro and youthful Newman tormented their opponents from the flanks.

    Despite the support from the singing supporters of the NYSC team, it was the U-23 team who looked more mobile that had the game under control from the blast of the refs whistle.

    These pressures led to the NYSC defenders committing so many blunders and in one of such fouled Newman Doubra in the penalty area and the resultant penalty was scored by Etim Mathew in the 35th min.

    After the goal it was the Dream Team VI all the way as they continued mounting pressure on their opponents with their coaches on their neck for more goals and in the 44th minute Ghali ?Abdullahi increased the tally with a beauty of a goal.

    On resumption of the second half, Coach Siasia made a total change of the players who played the first half in a bid to give all invited players the opportunity to showcase their talents.

    This reduced the tempo of the game as the new players could not maintain the pace of the players who started the game.

    As the coaching crew and a handful of fans who were on hand to watch the game seem to have settled for a 2-0 win for the U-23 team, the NYSC team conceded an own goal off a free kick from Fashanu in the dying minutes of the game to ensure the national team secured their fifth win since they started the screening exercise in Abuja.

    The Dream Team VI had earlier defeated Wazobia FC Abuja 5-0, Jay 1 6-0, played a 2-2 draw with Inter Milan FC, forced Football College to a 1-1 draw, defeated Dara FC 4-0 and on Friday morning beat Amackson Academy of Abuja 2-1.

  • NYSC and safety of corps members

    SIR: Since the inception of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) 41 years ago, a lot has happened to make people argue for and against its relevance and benefits to the Nigerian youth. The history of the NYSC is indeed replete with momentous events. For some of us, commenting on issues like this is more than just writing. It’s a way to wake up, to calm down, to spark an idea, and to share a story. And this is the story of the transformation going on right now in the NYSC.

    I recall when the present Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, assumed office, he clearly highlighted the path he wanted his administration to take. He gave a brilliant four-point agenda aimed at increasing the impact and relevance of NYSC by improving the service content of the scheme, enhancing the welfare and safety of corps members and staff; expanding partnerships for greater impact, funding and support for the scheme; and increasing the visibility and relevance of the scheme.

    Pursuant of the second agenda,  the DG recently paid a visit to corps member, Babatunde Oluwagbenga who was involved in an auto accident alongside five of his colleagues on their way to the NYSC orientation camp in Bayelsa State. The visit by the DG showed the premium placed on the lives of corps members.

    I gathered that the DG was in Benin on his nationwide tour of orientation camps when he heard about the unfortunate incident. News reports said he made a detour to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital where the injured corps member was being treated. But that is not all there is to it. He actually ordered the payment of the victim’s medical bills, which he could have done by instruction and not necessarily visiting physically. He could have sent the Edo State coordinator of the NYSC to monitor the situation and report back to him. But no, he visited himself, which I think was exemplary. That in itself was a statement of two uncommon folds: translating words to action.

    We were all witnesses to the unfortunate events of 2011 where some corps members in the north lost their lives in the post-election violence of that year. The memory isn’t something we can wish away easily. The nation mourned. And questions were asked. Answers were provided, if not satisfactorily. I think the NYSC has realised that corps members are vulnerable to attacks hence the premium placed on their safety and welfare at all times. And the visit of the DG to the injured corps member consolidates this view.

    I also understand that during the orientation exercise, all camps have had security personnel doubled with the military, police, SSS, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps collaborating to provide adequate security for corps members. In addition, after the orientation exercise, the NYSC provided the various state police commands and the state security service commands with the location of lodges of corps members in case of emergencies. There is also the distress call centre that was established for corps members to use in times of distress. This should be good news for parents and guardians especially given the security situation in the country.

    The distress call centre can best be described as innovative. I gather it works this way: when corps members are deployed to their places of primary assignment, their full data such as names, phone number, states code, and places of primary assignment, and addresses of security agencies within that area are sent by the state coordinators to the NYSC headquarters. The information is then uploaded into the scheme’s database. In times of distress, when a corps member calls with the registered phone number, his or her data page will appear on the screen. Security operatives within the vicinity would then be notified immediately.

    What can be more reassuring than this? Play back this scenario to the 2011 post-election violence. Imagine the number of lives that would have been saved by a mere phone call before evil befell them. And the nation would have been saved the agony of the bizarre event.  But there is no point agonising over what cannot be undone.

    However, it is comforting to know that more than ever before, the lives of corps members are more secured, and that their welfare is being given the utmost attention it deserves. By building on what he met on the ground and adding his own thrust and touch, the DG of the NYSC, Brig. Gen Johnson Olawumi has started well. We can only wish he sustains the tempo and continues to introduce cutting-edge innovations to make the NYSC a more responsive organisation.

     

    •James Mancha

    Jalingo, Taraba

  • Mixed feelings greet NYSC call-up letters

    For many graduates mobilised for the National Youth Service, it was a mixed tale of disappointment and joy when they got their call-up letters. Some of them, posted to crisis-ridden areas, saw the one-year service as a death sentence. Others were happy. OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI (NYSC, Makurdi) writes.

    Oluwatosin Olatunbosun was upbeat when she learnt it was time for her to go on the one-year National Youth Service. Cheery,  she left her base for the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, where she studied Language Arts.

    But, after she got her call-up letter, her mood changed. Oluwatosin broke down in tears when she learnt she was posted to Yobe State, one of the states being ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency. The 22-year-old graduate believed she was being sent on a journey of no return, saying her life would be exposed to danger during the compulsory youth service.

    This is one of the tales of woes and misery at the OAU, last week, when thousands of graduates besieged the Students’ Affairs Division to take their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call-up letters.

    Some were seen discussing their fate in groups after they got their letters. But for others, it was a moment of joy, having been posted to states, where there is no conflict. For many, it was a load of disappointment, because many failed to influence their postings to states of their choice.

    While the tales of misery were being told, some of the prospective Corps members, who had resigned to fate, flocked a make-shift market beside the Students’ Affairs Division to buy wares they would need at the NYSC camps. Ife residents made brisk business, selling various wares to the graduates. Business centre operators and photographers were not left out in the bazaar.

    Many graduates could not get their call-up letters on time because of delay in the NYSC office in Osogbo. By 8.00pm on Thursday, the exercise was still going on. But some, who could afford to pay N4,060 to get the letter online wasted no time; they printed the call-up letters on the Internet without delay.

    For Alex Ojekunle, a graduate of Public Administration, his expectation to observe the Youth Service in the Southeast was dashed when he learnt that he was posted to Taraba State. Disappointed, Alex said: “It was a shocker for me to discover that I am posted to Taraba State. I was hoping to be posted to the South-south or Southeast, given the security challenges in the North presently.  I initially felt unhappy. My heart beat faster and had the thought that it could be the end.”

    Philip Okorodudu, who graduated from Delta State University (DELSU) in Abraka, said he was apprehensive when he learnt he would undertake the Youth Service in Taraba, because the state shares boundary with Adamawa State being ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency. The Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduate said his worry was his safety.

    However, Kemi Busari’s response was different. The Political Science graduate of OAU was upbeat to be going to Kaduna State, where he was posted. He said: “I have spent all my life in the Southwest and I want to have a feel of other places, especially the North. I believe I can explore new opportunities there. I think this is a chance. Apart from insecurity, I believe there are good stories about these places many youths do not want to go.”

    Taiwo Makinde called his parents in Abeokuta with joy when he was told by his friend, Mide, that he was posted to Ogun State. “Meet the latest Ogun Corps member,” he exclaimed. But, Taiwo got the shock of his life the next day when he got his call-up letter and discovered he had been posted to Yobe State. “My friend, who checked for me, mistook my state of origin to be my posting,” he said, breaking down in tears.

    But for many of the youths posted to the North, the bad story is turning out to be good after a few days in camp.

    Alex said he was beginning to understand the culture of the Jukun, describing them as good and welcoming people “who treat Corps members as kings.”

    However, because of the security situation, Corps members posted to Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states are having their training in Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states respectively.

     

  • Youth corps members’ safety paramount, says NYSC DG

    Youth corps members’ safety paramount, says NYSC DG

    •Corps member visited at UBTH

    THE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) takes safety of corps members seriously, its director- general, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, has said.

    According to him, corps members need to be alive, strong and healthy to contribute effectively to national unity and economic development.

    “Safety of corps members is paramount to us at the NYSC and non-negotiable,” Brig-Gen. Olawumi said in Benin city, Edo State capital, at the weekend when he visited Oluwagbenga Babatunde, a corps member involved in an accident on his way to the orientation camp in Bayelsa State, where he was posted.

    Five others were involved in the accident.  While others have been treated and discharged, Babatunde is to undergo surgery for fracture at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

    “We will continue to do everything to keep corps members safe and secure and we will also continue to respond promptly to anyone of them who is in distress in any form. While on national service, the lives of corps members are important to us,” the director- general added.

    He was also in Benin to visit the orientation camp.

    At the UBTH, he said: “I decided to come here personally to wish him quick recovery, to show that the country places a lot of value on the security and the lives of these young people and to show that we appreciate the enormous sacrifice and contributions they are making for and to the country.”

    In line with the welfare package for corps members, the NYSC director- general directed prompt payment of Babatunde’s hospital bills, promising to grant his redeployment request to allow for his full recuperation after surgery. The NYSC chief also personally gave financial support to the mother of the accident victim, who came from Ibadan to attend to his son. said An elated Mrs. Babatunde said: “After the accident, I thought I was on my own here at the hospital until the NYDC DG suddenly walked in and paid all the bills”.

  • BUK: Only 1,921 fresh graduates ready for NYSC

    NO fewer than 1,921 out of 3,821 graduating students of Bayero University Kano (BUK), which is less than 65 per cent of the total number, got the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call up letter for the  next Batch C of corps members to serve the nation.

    The consequence of this according to information from the Student Affairs unit of the university, is that some of those left out may not be able to make the service again next year because they would have clocked 30 years by then, which is the age limit.

    It was learnt that a list of 3,821 prospective corps members were forwarded to NYSC headquarters in September for Batch C as requested.  However, 1,360, who were eligible, were not lucky to make the final list.

    Many of them besieged the Students’ Affairs unit last week for possible rectification

    One of those affected, Abubakar Umar, a graduate of Biochemistry, disclosed that the students got frustrated after patiently waiting for five months for the service year.

    “Can you imagine after spending not less than four years in the university, only for some of us to be mobilised, while others were not? It is indeed, a major challenge,” he said.

    Although some of the students blamed the university for the anomaly despite completing the online registration as required by the NYSC, others however, blamed the NYSC leadership for adopting an uncompromising measure, which they described as rigid.

    The Deputy Dean, Students Affairs Unit of the university, Dr. Shamsudeen Umar, however, claimed that the university fulfilled “all righteousness” as required by the NYSC.

    Shamsudeen said the university forwarded the names of 3,821 graduates to the NYSC at the stipulated period only to receive a list less than 2,000, describing it as a surprising development, which is “a departure from the known tradition”.

    A recent memo, which originated from the NYSC and made available to The Nation indicated  that about 730 prospective corps members from BUK were not able to complete their online registration, which may have informed their names being absent from the comprehensive list.

    However, Dr. Shamsudeen insisted that most of the affected students had documentary evidence that they had completed the online registration.

    “I will disagree with the argument of NYSC leadership because most of those who stormed our office had the print out of the online registration. So, they cannot hide under such an excuse, as far as we know. In fact, I can prove to you that some of those, who had no problem, did not register.  So what do you say about that?” Dr. Shasudeen quried!.

  • NYSC member gets Best Actor award

    A Corps member, Patrick Ogar, has been adjudged the Best Actor of the Year of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State.

    Patrick was presented with the award at an event to mark the passing out of Batch “C” Corps members at Chelekwu Hotel in Awka. He was a member of Culture and Tourism, a Community Development Service (CDS) group, during his service year.

    The state NYSC co-ordinator, Mrs. Inyang Bassey-Ekpe, and representatives of Blaze FM and Dufil Foods, makers of Indomie noodles, attended the event.

    The chairman of the event, Mr Ayanda Ayorinde, who is the head of CDS in the state, advised outgoing Corps members to be good ambassadors of the country.

    Mrs. Bassey-Ekpe hailed the youths for the achievements recorded in the 2013/2014 service year, wishing them the best in their future endeavours. She said: “This batch has been one of the best that I have overseen since I got transferred to Anambra State as the coordinator. I expect nothing less than this even as you are passing out into the society. You must ensure that you keep the flag flying.”

    Patrick praised God for the honour, saying the day was special for him. “Today is a special day for me and I thank God for this honour. I never knew people were watching until I got this award. This is in response to my total dedication to the peace and development of my host community,” he said.

    The event also featured breaking of kola nut by Mr Patrick Okoye, the CDS dance instructor, and dance performance by Corps members.

     

  • NYSC e-registration review

    THE NYSC e-registration initiative is a good one. The advantages are numerous: It saves travel costs fresh graduates would have incurred going to their schools for their call ups (and the attendant risks involved); saves them the stress of queuing to get the letter; and eliminates the stress of tedious manual registration in the first few days of orientation camp. But at N4,000, it is too expensive if not exploitative.

    I disagree with the member of House of Representatives, Femi Akinlabi who endorsed the initiative and the price because the fund generated would be used to equip NYSC offices nationwide with computers. Why should corps members be paying to equip NYSC offices? If it has come to that, then perhaps the Federal Government should rethink whether it is necessary to continue the programme.

    Some have argued that as students, the prospective corps members had spent much more on transportation, registration, feeding, lecture notes, assignments, and the like, so it should not be a big deal to cough out N4,000.  However, we must situate this registration in the right context.  These corps members are not registering for an examination.  The registration is supposed to be basically a record of their bio-data, qualifications, and any other information relating to their primary assignments.  So, why should it cost up to N4,000?

    One thing I believe is that the initiators and the public-private partners do not consider that N4,000 is just the cost of buying the scratch card.  The corps members would also incur additional cost at cyber cafés getting the registration done online.  So, in reality, the amount would be closer to N5,000 than N4,000.  Whether we like to admit it or not, N4,000 is a lot of money for the average Nigerian.  Raising that amount may take some families making crucial sacrifices in other areas.  No one should trivialize the amount.  It is not too small.  Again, it is not all the money that the corps members would need to get to the orientation camp.  After completing the registration online, they would still have to pay for transportation to their states of posting, and have something extra to hold.  While it is true that the initiative would save transport cost to schools, it should not be used to replace that transport cost.

    The initiative has been applauded by many.  However, the price is too high.  It should cost between N1,000 and N1,500 so that corps members do not feel that someone somewhere is benefiting from the money that accrues in one way or the other.

  • Still on NYSC online registration charge

    SIR: It is wrong to condemn the policy of online registration and delivery of call-up letter introduced by National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management. The advantages of the new policy are many. First, it saves intending corps members from unpleasant situations that sometimes arise in the course of hustling to get call-up letters from their respective institution. Apart from the stress, the new policy will also make it possible for corps members to reprint their call up whenever and wherever they may be. Like many other Nigerians, my appeal is to the management of NYSC to reduce the N4,000 charge to something more affordable taking into consideration, the state of the economy, and in particular, the plight of self-sponsored graduate prospective corps members. I hope the management of NYSC can shift ground a bit on the charge. A good way to bring this about is for NYSC authorities to source for funds from the federal government to defray the cost associated with the technology. Finally, NYSC management should also consider changing the mode of payment from ATM to NYSC scratch-card to prevent frustrations arising from technology failure to guarantee effectiveness and efficiency of the new policy.

     

    • Comrade Olawoyin Edris Busayo, Lagos

     

  • NYSC e-registration: Two sides of a coin

    NYSC e-registration: Two sides of a coin

    With the introduction of its online registration platform last month, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) extended its deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT) beyond just providing corps members with their call up information.  Now, corps members can access the NYSC website for their call-up information, download the letter, and register online.

    The process eliminates the need for fresh graduates to travel to their respective schools to get their call-up letters before heading (perhaps in another direction) to the NYSC orientation camp in the state of their posting.  It is also expected to eliminate registration queues at the orientation camps to fill multiple paper forms, queues at monthly clearance and collection of certificates at the end of the service year.

    The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Johnson Bamidele Olawumi, said the initiative, which is being powered by Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited – the same firm that handles the online platforms of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) – was introduced because of pressure from parents and the challenges of insecurity in some parts of the country.

    “Prospective corps members should not have to spend thousands to travel hundreds of miles to collect call-up letters, or queue for hours at the orientation camps to get registered, in this Internet age,” he said.

    Sounds so good but for the N4,000 price tag attached to the scratch card that potential corps member must purchase to gain access to the NYSC registration portal, and a host of other technical and ethical concerns.

    Defending the cost, Gen. Olawumi said it should be weighed against the risks involved in individual candidates travelling hundreds of miles.

    He said: “Paying to process call-up letters online is totally optional. It is not compulsory. NYSC made it optional because of the realisation that not every corps member will need or can afford it.  The costs and risks involved in going to schools to pick call-up letters are clearly different for candidates. NYSC thinks it will be unfair to ask (all) of them to pay or force them to embrace the initiative. In the same light, they shouldn’t have to pay N4000, or any amount, to do these things online. But the reality is that we cannot wait on the Federal Government to fund this process, and the cost of putting this structure in place, in the meantime, by the leadership of the NYSC, has to be borne by the end users. In the end, it is a choice between safety and convenience at a cost, and risks, stress and danger at even greater costs.”

    The Batch C corps members to be mobilised for orientation in November would be the first to use the new platform.  Already, the scratch card has gone on sale – with the potential corps members relating various experiences – good and bad.

     

    Online Registration good idea, worth the cost

    Despite the flak being thrown at the NYSC call-up online registration, some of the corps members have said “the thing is good o!”

    Abigail Young- Harry, a final year English Education student of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, said: “I like the arrangement because once you are able to register, you are given your call-up number immediately. You don’t have to begin to queue at the university registrar’s office or your department to collect your call-up letter.”

    Pere Lakemfa, who is rounding off his Political Science studies at the University of Port Harcourt said:”I have no reasons to complain because the arrangement is very reliable and saves us stress.

    “The registration fee though is much for a student, but when you consider the stress it will save you, then one will not have reasons to complain.”

    A parent, Mrs Ngozi Eze, thinks the amount is not an issue considering that it saves the students so much stress.

    Mrs Eze, who has a potential corps member, said: “If I have succeeded in paying my son’s school fees from year one to the final year, is it N4000 that I cannot afford? ”

    She said in 2010, her daughter who graduated from Imo State University, Owerri, spent almost one week waiting to collect her call-up letter from the school.

    “My daughter nearly missed the orientation because she was waiting to collect her call-up letter. By the time she secured it, after a one-week repeated and stressful visits to her school, she had only 24 hours left to enter the orientation camp. I had to squeeze out money for her to fly to Abuja and then make the rest of the journey by road to Katsina where she was posted.  So, you can see that the online registration is a better option,” she said.

    A student of Abia State Polytechnic, simply called Ogechi, praised the NYSC for taking steps to reduce the stress students face moving from one location to another in the name of checking their names or postings.

    She said the same way the introduction of e-registration and online tests by the examining bodies has eased the burden of candidates, so would the NYSC registration do for corps members.

    “Before now, after writing WAEC, SSCE, NECO and even JAMB, candidates travel as far as Lagos to check their results. But, today, the story has changed. People now write exams including post-UTME tests and check their results online.

    “I heard about a particular case where a student travelling from Abuja to check her posting died in a road mishap. That would not have happened if NYSC had introduced this online registration (earlier). She would have done that in Abuja as long as she has access to the internet. Tell me, what is N4,000 to losing one’s life or even risking it just to check for posting or call-up? I am sure that the parents to the lady will even be angry with NYSC that this action is coming after losing their daughter.

    “We must learn to accept change and move along. Agreed that the economy is not telling well on the citizenry, but we must always adjust. Nigerians will later appreciate NYSC’s decision on the process. Remember that it is still optional, but I tell you that it will reduce exploitations of students by some staff that use the opportunity to drain their purse.

    “I am sure you are a university graduate and you know what the crowd used to be? People during one of my sister’s set, though at Owerri, even fainted while struggling for all these things. But this is something you can do in the comfort of your zone with internet-aided devices, especially now that almost everybody has devices that are in one way or the other connected to the global village (internet). So, it is a welcome development by me.”

    Victor Effiom, a prospective Batch C corps member and graduate of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), also thinks the initiative is better for students who live far from school.

    “I think it is a very good development, especially for students who don’t live where they school is, and there are many of them. Think of even those who are abroad or who schooled outside the country and want to do their service. I think the merits of this online process outweigh any other disadvantage. They would not need to travel to NYSC office.  All they need is access to a computer with internet; they can sort themselves out. For me, I am not doing the online process because I live here in Calabar and my school, UNICAL, is just at my doorstep. But if I were outside I would just do the online thing,” he said.

    For Mr Paul Chimodo who runs an Internet Café in Port Harcourt, the initiative is a blessing.

    “The thing is bringing business to us,” Chimodo said, adding: “Even though NYSC charges N4,000, we end up paying the organisation N4,050.  From the N1,000 we charge the applicants for the process. At the end of the day, we take home only N950 per applicant. The response of the applicants to the online registration is helping us because, on the average, we get four applicants per day which means you will be collecting about N3,800 every day from the NYSC registration.”

     

    Good, but not worth the cost

    While the initiative has been lauded, many have complained that the price is too high.  Some also fear that they would be compelled to register online.  Despite the House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development backing the policy, they are expecting that the N4,000 would be reduced.

    A graduate of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, Badmus Olaleye, said they were relieved when they were told by the management that N4,000 was no longer compulsory because only a few could afford it.

    “We have decided to follow the instruction of the management since majority of us will be collecting our call-up letters from our institution.  Though when we were earlier told that we should pay N4,000, we were disturbed because we had paid huge amounts of money as students before we graduated. So, how can we pay another N4,000? Thank God, Nigerians came to our rescue and we are happy that it is no more compulsory” Olaleye said.

    A final year student of Abia State Polytechnic is not enamoured by the thought of paying N4,000 for the service.  He said it is unaffordable.

    He said: “Some of us who come from poor families will find such decision or policy of NYSC obnoxious. They have passed through tertiary institution education and they know how hard it is for students to feed, buy textbooks and do other things in school, God will only save you when you happen to have lecturers that you must sort before you pass their courses.

    “A report by one of the international agencies said that majority of Nigerian families live on less than a Dollar daily. You can imagine what it means for a family like mine that has about two other siblings in this school. So, asking students from such a family pay N4,000, my brother, is an additional burden.

    “For me, it is not acceptable. It is high time government started thinking of how best to assist students and the unemployed than making things more difficult for them.”

    Mr Bassey Udo (not real name), who works in the Students Affairs Division of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), thinks the scratch card would be just right at N1,500.

    “I feel the N4,000 fee is too high for the service. For me N1,500 would have been a good price for the service,” he said

    Eribo Anino-Orise, final year student of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), referred to the cost as a tax and urged others to reject it.

    “It makes me think twice about serving my own country. I believe doing so should come with a reward and not you paying to serve. Is this money a tax levied on the students to serve their country?  We students and future leaders hereby say no to the payment of N4,000 for the NYSC call-up letter,” she said.

     

    Hitches, fears need to be addressed

     

    While the initiative has been praised for being useful, candidates are not finding the registration easy.  Many have complained about the website not being user-friendly, and the delays in getting a response after registration.

    Okey Okocha, a final year student of Theatre Arts, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), said registration on the site is like being on a queue.

    “Sometimes, we spend up to three hours to access the site and this makes it very frustrating. But, once you are able to register, then you are good to go because you will immediately get your call-up number, and with that you can access your posting,” Okey said.

    Chimodo, the café operator, complained about the slowness of the site during the day, when there is likely to be heavy traffic.  However, to get around this challenge, he said they work at night.

    “What we do is to collect the money and details of the applicants and then stay up the night to do the registration when the traffic to the site is less,” he said.

    Victor Effiom expressed concerns about the practice, as there is the risk of the person entering the wrong data and the owner is not there to verify.

    “My only fear is I hope the IT experts would be meticulous so that the new process which is supposed to be a blessing does not turn out to be a problem. Inasmuchas the benefits are much, one can only imagine the problems this would generate if there are hitches in the process. Also, I urge the NYSC to carry out intense sensitisation on how to go about the online process, so people don’t do the wrong thing on their own. Those doing the registration should also be careful to avoid mistakes,” he said.

    Some prospective corps members have taken their complaints online.  Reacting to a story published by a paper online (not The Nation), Nwokoma Ihuoma complained she was yet to get her number after paying.

    “I paid N4,000 but have not got my mobilisation number. NYSC, how do you explain this?” she asked.

    Another, Salako Ololade Baleeqes, complained that there was a problem with the email he used for the registration and wondered how he could inform the NYSC to send his details to a new email address.

    To address the many technical issues corps members may have, a parent, Mr Frank Nkemakolam, advised the NYSC to create a 24-hour help desk, similar to the one run by telecoms operators, to reach them.

    “The NYSC should establish a channel so that people with different issues, which might occur in the process of computing students’ data, would be resolved to avoid being exploited by anybody (NYSC staff or agent),” he said.

    The fear of discrimination against those that do not register seems real.  Another candidate, also reacting to a story online, accused the NYSC of releasing call-up details ahead of the schedule, a move he claimed would encourage fraud and lead to discrimination against those corps members who do not pay the N4,000.

    “I can confirm that those who have paid the said N4,000 are now receiving their call-up number in form of messages, which is completely against the scheduled timetable on NYSC website.  Are they to be mobilised for the next batch while non payers are not?” he asked.

    Though the NYSC has said the online registration is voluntary, some people claim that some schools are compelling their graduates to register online.

    A candidate who reacted online wrote that some graduates of a certain university are being threatened to go and pay the N4,000, saying the Dean of Student Affairs of the school expressly told the students that “no one will go to Abuja because of any student. It is better you go and pay and don’t expect any number or letter from the school’”.

    But on the news section of the university’s website a story titled: NYSC introduces online registration for Batch C informs graduates of the school that they are expected to register online.

    It reads in part: “Effective from the 2014 Batch ‘C’ mobilisation exercise, every prospective corps member, irrespective of the mode of study, is expected to register online to be able to participate in the National Youth Service Corps Scheme.

    “A release from the NYSC management indicated that all prospective corps members are required to register online at the NYSC portal via the webpage – www.nysc.org.ng or portal.nysc.gov.ng or nysc.gov.ng. While emphasising that information on accreditated registration centres nationwide was available on the homepage (www.nysc.org.ng), the NYSC management stated that all graduates from Nigerian Universities, Polytechnics/Monotechnics and those affiliated to them were expected to carry out their biometric-enabled online registration using their matriculation numbers and JAMB registration numbers including those for re-validation.”

    The NYSC has reiterated that the process is optional and those who choose not to go through with it would not be discriminated against.  However only time will tell if this will be the case when camp opens in November.

  • Reps approve N4,000 NYSC registration

    Reps approve N4,000 NYSC registration

    The House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development has backed the policy requiring prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to pay N4,000  to access their call-up letters online.

    Addressing reporters, Committee Chairman Kamil Akinlabi said there were inherent benefits in the policy.

    The lawmaker said the fund would be utilised to instal equipment at NYSC offices across the country.

    He said the fund would enable the contractor handling the project to recoup his investment.

    The House,  a month ago, mandated its committees on Youth Development and Justice to investigate the appropriateness or otherwise of what it called “money for call-up letter policy” and report back to the House “within one month”.

    Hassan Saleh, who sponsored the motion, expressed dissatisfaction with the imposition of N4,000 on thousands of graduates. He urged the House to stop the “extortion”.

    Defending the policy, Akinlabi said: “From the outset, when the matter was brought to our attention, the first thing we felt was the way you are feeling. But after constructive engagement, we discovered that it was an innovation that we can’t run away from.”

     

     

    “First, it was not the responsibility of the NYSC to mobilise corps members to get their call-up letters. It is the responsibility of the parents. If somebody schooled in Lagos but lives in Kano, to get his call-up letter, he has to travel to the school.”

     

     

    “So, you discovered that it is time-consuming, risky and expensive. What the NYSC has done is to partner a consultant, which is already handling a similar project for the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), which have eliminated similar risks to partner them through a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

    Akinlabi noted that such agreement was based on Built Operate and Transfer (BOT).

    On what the terms of agreement are, he said: “The contractor would be responsible 100 per cent for the purchase and installation of every gadget that will be necessary to achieve that in the 36 state headquarters, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in all local government headquarters as well as in all orientation camps across the country.”

    According to him, after the committees had looked at the various presentations, they agreed on certain aspects…”