The Lagos State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, has said that the N500 levy being collected from each corps member is their contribution to the NYSC Foundation and not a means of extorting them.?
Adenike, who gave this clarification in a chat with our correspondent after the swearing-in ceremony for the 2,151 corps members deployed to the state for the 2013 Batch B scheme, spoke against the backdrop of allegation that the state NYSC was extorting money from corps member.
“It is not true that NYSC has been extorting money from corps members, that is not just possible. The N500 levy per corps member is just their own contribution to the NYSC Foundation and it is known to them and even the management of the scheme. And the money is collected when the corps members are passing out. Corps members are our children, we cannot do that to them; those who are saying that are ignorant,” she said.
Earlier, she had urged new corps members deployed to the state for the 2013 Batch B scheme to use their service year to promote national unity and integration.
The NYSC boss, who argued that the scheme had contributed to national development through promotion of unity and manpower development, told the corps members to obey camp rules and regulations.
“You have to be very proud that the NYSC you are enlisting into today has after 40 years of existence become a household name and provides an answer to youth development and productivity. NYSC has become a globally recognized platform for participants to gain practical, experiential knowledge before facing the challenges of the real world,” she said.
She added that the orientation programme was aimed at instilling leadership qualities of perseverance, diligence, dedication, determination, loyalty, integrity, courage, self-reliance and discipline of mind into the corps members.
Adeyemi said that the expected outcome of the exercise in the corps members include increased levels of self-confidence, caring, networking and good character and competence.
“So, you should avail yourselves of this once in a lifetime opportunity an experience and assimilate all training modules as packaged for your development. We cannot always build the future for our youth but we can build our youth for the future,” she said.
The NYSC boss also thanked the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for his support, assistance, love and consistency he has been demonstrating for the realization of the objectives of the scheme.
She, however, pleaded with the governor to urgently provide the state NYSC with a befitting permanent orientation camp.
This, Adeyemi noted, would help the NYSC to be able to accommodate the ever-increasing population of corps members being deployed to the state.
Also, the state Commissioner for Special Duties, who is also the Chairman, NYSC Governing Board, Dr. Wale Ahmed, charged the new corps members to contribute their quota to the development of the state
