The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has threatened heavy sanctions against any tertiary institution or officials caught aiding and abetting the fraudulent mobilisation of graduates for national service.
NYSC revealed that it had blacklisted some Corp producing Institutions guilty of mobilising fake or unqualified graduates for service in the past three years.
Director – General of the NYSC, Maj – Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim disclosed these at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Batch ‘A’ stream I Pre-Mobilisation Workshop, in Abuja, with the theme: “Enhancing the Credibility of the Mobilisation Process through Effective Data Control.”
He said: “As you are all aware, data generated from the Corps Producing Institutions are the raw material processed for the Mobilisation exercise.
“This record is supposed to be pure and undiluted, but for selfish motives of some players along the production chain, we have continued to encounter challenges.
“Let me, however, assure the public that we are not letting down our guard as we have continued to evolve and enhance control measures, including those that are technology-driven. These efforts require the buy-in of other relevant stakeholders, including Students Affairs Officers (SAOS).
“Since coming on board in 2019, we have been having meetings with Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs), especially the Student Affairs Officers so that our mobilisation process will not be compromised.
“We also introduced indemnity requiring the head of institutions to endorse whatever data is forwarded to the NYSC, so that; if there is any infraction, the Scheme can apply sanctions. That is what we have been doing. We have blacklisted institutions guilty of such infractions.”
Earlier, the NYSC Director, Corps Mobilisation, Mrs. Victoria Ango, stated that despite the success stories, stakeholders must be mindful of the increasing number of dishonest people abusing the (mobilisation) technology for personal gain.
“This is a challenge that should be taken very seriously because the NYSC is determined not to take further excuses from the CPIs about data being compromised by whatever method or individual directly or indirectly connected with the scheme’ mobilisation process,” she warned.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Musa Bello, attributed the modest achievements of the FCT Administration to the cooperation and support of critical stakeholders, including the NYSC in various spheres of development such as education, health and community development service.
Source: The Nation