A reporter in THISDAY newspaper wrote a story on the above headline on 20th of October, 2013 in the Sunday edition of THISDAY newspaper. We want to say from the outset that we are not aware of any trouble brewing at NYSC or any purported deduction from corps members allowance in whatever form as indicated in the headline. This is a misconception and misrepresentation of its activities which calls to question the integrity of the Foundation and its highly respectable members.
First and foremost, NYSC Foundation is a non- governmental organization established and founded by ex-corps members with the sole purpose of giving support to the NYSC Scheme, in furtherance of achieving the aims and objectives of its founding fathers. It also aims at empowering ex- corps members by way of giving them soft loans to establish their own businesses or through skills acquisition.
We would like to reiterate here categorically that as stated in the Foundation’s flyer “membership of the Foundation is open to all ex-corps members who wish to partner with the NYSC Scheme in the continued realization of its aims and objective”. The subscription to the Foundation is N500 only by ex-corps members and it is voluntary. It is utterly false and mischievous to give the impression that monies are being compulsorily deducted from the accounts of outgoing corps members and handed over to the NYSC Foundation. The truth is that corps members are sensitized and persuaded to subscribe to the Foundation after their service year. Those who are convinced that the vision of the Foundation is worth identifying with pay a token sum of Five Hundred Naira (N500) as subscription fee. Subscription is VOLUNTARY and it is paid to the Foundation through the NYSC State Secretariats. For emphasis, there is no compulsion in subscription and there is no illegal deduction
Shakespeare asked a long time ago ‘what is in a name. There is no gainsaying that the names and logos of both organisations bear some resemblance, but it will be wrong to say that the Foundation adopted the name and logo of NYSC and also using it as a ploy to deceive corps members. This is totally wrong, unacceptable and a misguided comment. The fact is that they are distinct. The name, NYSC Foundation, was duly registered under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Decree No. 1 of 1990 and, to that extent, it is perfectly in order. A careful observation of the Foundation logo will reveal that it is not the same as that of the NYSC, even though they both share certain elements such as the “torch”. It must be stressed however that some other organisations also have the torch in their logos: Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministry, Nigerian Immigration, Olympic Games, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, etc.
The claim by reporter in her report on paragraph 3 stating ‘….the scam all began in 2007 with the approval of the then management of NYSC.’ is not only indicting but very provocative for many reasons prime among which is:
· She appears not to understand or know the meaning of the word “scam”
· The use of the word “scam” is very indicting and provocative and
· Nowhere in the report is anything indicative of any scam in the main body of the story
· It is in fact most uncharitable and unkind for her to use that word unless she was doing the bidding of her matchet senders
· It is also criminal for anyone to think that they can channel the Foundation’s idea to their personal initiative for private use.
· It is also sad and unfortunate that unguided comments can be made about certain people who meant well for the youths of this country without proper facts.
This is more so if the Foundation was a scam, it would not have been possible to actualise the under-listed projects for the NYSC and ex-corps members which she admitted in her report as follows.
i) Abia State: 500 double bunk beds
ii) Cross – River State: 4 units of 8 roomed VIP toilets
iii) Nasarawa State: 4 units of “40” feet Julius Berger shipment containers
iv) Kebbi State: 500 Chairs, 25 tables and a collapsible podium
v) Gombe State: 10 units of VIP toilets
vi) Ogun State: 220kv generator
vii) FCT: 150 double bunk beds and 300 mattresses
viii) Lagos State: 5 mobile toilets and 5 mobile bathrooms
In addition and as part of her desire to provide an enabling environment for serving corps members, the Foundation had built, commissioned and handed over a habitable Corpers Lodge to NYSC in Jos, Plateau State. The beautifully landscaped lodge which can accommodate about 150 corps members at a time has a borehole and a sit-out leisure/relaxation shed. It also has (2) large sitting rooms, sixteen (16) toilets and (16) bathrooms, a courtyard, double bunk beds, mattresses, built-in wardrobes and window blinds. The Foundation intends to replicate this all over the country subject to the provision of land by State governments to us.
It may interest you to know that the frightening increase in the rate of youth unemployment and its consequences on socio-economic development of Nigeria prompted the Board of Trustees to launch a soft loan scheme to empower ex-corps members who have subscribed to the membership of the Foundation to set up small scale businesses.Through this initiative, the maximum sum of N400,000.00 is given to successful applicants. So far, 115 ex-corps members have benefitted from the loan scheme, with the last batch of 28 beneficiaries collecting their cheques on Tuesday, 22nd October 2013.
Interestingly, she equally went further stating in her fifth paragraph that ‘… members of the Board had agreed that the idea was a laudable one, but sought to know the relationship between NYSC and the Foundation. Sequel to this, the Foundation will like to emphasize that the relationship between both organizations had been and in fact is still cordial, healthy and sustainable. It should be known that the NYSC currently have a Local Committee on NYSC Foundation which further states the strong synergy between us. A mail sent to the Foundation by Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Department of the NYSC to the Foundation on Thursday, September 27, 2012 addressed the Foundation as “Dear Partner”. We also have several meetings with SAED in a bid at agreeing on a Memorandum of Understanding to further solidify our relationship. In addition, we have annual Desk Officers Workshop for NYSC staff who assist the Foundation in all the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. One wonders what partnership means if these simple examples exist between the two organizations.
However, to further disabuse the minds of readers, membership of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation include any current Director General and Director of Corps Mobilization of NYSC scheme which clearly states the transparency and genuineness of the Foundation at networking with the scheme. In a similar development, a meeting held between the members of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation and the then Minister of Youth Development Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi where he emphasized in clear terms the relationship that exist between the Foundation and NYSC stating in one of his letters to the Director General of NYSC in January 2008 that “one of the policy thrusts of this administration is that encouragement of public/private partnership between Government Ministries or Agencies and private bodies for the delivery of quality services to its citizenry. There is, no doubt, that the idea of a Foundation of this nature if properly articulated and executed, will in no small measure help to ameliorate some of the challenges facing the NYSC in the execution of its mandate”.
We are proud to say that so far, we have had a cordial relationship with NYSC but the only issue we have has been clarified by the Foundation to the Chairman Governing Board Chief Gordon Bozimo who sought to know more about the Foundation with specific reference to the name of the Foundation (NYSC FOUNDATION), the logo and particularly the finances which we made available to him when the Foundation’s Board held a meeting with a Committee chaired by Chief Bozimo himself on Tuesday, 24th September, 2013.
As earlier stated, the Board of Trustees of the NYSC Foundation is made up of eminent Nigerians of good standing both locally and internationally. They are personalities with impeccable record of service in their private and public lives who utilise their personal time, ideas, experience, intellect and contacts to ensure that the Foundation meets the objectives for which it was established. It is criminal for anyone to now think that they can channel the Foundation ideas and funds to their personal initiatives for private use.
Once more, NYSC Foundation does not have any issue with the NYSC scheme and we expect that the relationship with the scheme shall continue to be a sustainable one for the development of the country and promotion of the ideas and ideals of the founding fathers of the NYSC Scheme. The media should join the Foundation in promoting the active participation of corporate Nigeria and progressive-minded individuals, especially those that Once more, NYSC Foundation does not have any issue with the NYSC scheme and our relationship with the scheme shall continue to be a sustainable one for the development of the country and promoting the ideals of its founding fathers.
– See more at: http://thewillnigeria.com/news/nysc-foundation-rejoinder-trouble-brews-in-nysc-over-deductions-from-corps-members-allawee-for-private-concern-thisday-on-sunday-20th-october-2013/#sthash.W5Rko5mS.dpuf