And here i was thinking this guys were on our side.
The House of Representatives has approved
the controversial N4,000 online registration
fee for the National Youth Service Corps
(NYSC) members.
The decision reverses earlier House resolution
urging the NYSC to suspend the policy
following public outcry against the fee.
Chairman, House Committee on Youth
Development, Kamil Akinlabi made the
disclosure during a media chat at the National
Assembly.
Akinlabi explained that the fee will service a
private sector driven build, operate and
transfer agreement. He said the registration
equipment will be installed at the NYSC
offices nationwide.
The contractor handling the project is
expected to recoup its investment within five
years, Akinlabi stated at the briefing.
The lawmaker said the process was approved
by the Bureau of Public Procurement with a
certificate of no objection.
Akinlabi said, “From the onset, 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
from.
“First, it was not the responsibility of the
NYSC to mobilise respective corps members to
get their call-up letters, it is the responsibility
of the parents. If somebody schooled in Lagos
but lives in Kano and to get his call-up letter
he has to travel to school, you discover that its
time consuming, risky and very expensive.
“So what the NYSC has done is to partner with
a consultant that is already handling similar
projects for JAMB and WAEC that has
eliminated similar risk to partner with them
through a PPP arrangement. The PPP
arrangement will be on Built, Operate and
Transfer.
“The contractor would be responsible 100 per
cent for the purchase and installation of every
gadget that will be necessary to achieve that
in all the 36 headquarters including FCT and
in all local government headquarters as well
as all orientation camps across the country.
On September 30, federal lawmakers launched
an inquest into the controversial N4,000
online registration fee and consequently
urged NYSC to suspend the policy.
Hon. Hassan Saleh (Benue/PDP) in lead
debates on a motion moved on the matter
described the NYSC policy as “insensitive and
exploitative”.
“As laudable as the idea of sending call-up
letters though the internet may be, the
decision requiring fresh graduates to cough
out N4,000 to access letters appears
insensitive and exploitative,” Saleh said.
The presiding Deputy Speaker Emeka
Ihedioha ruled that the Committee on Youth
Development and the sponsor of the motion
be invited to be part of the panel that will
conduct a session on the matter.
There had been criticisms against the N4,000
fee but the NYSC had risen to its defence,
saying the computerisation would ease the
rigorous processes involved in the collection
of call-up letters.
the controversial N4,000 online registration
fee for the National Youth Service Corps
(NYSC) members.
The decision reverses earlier House resolution
urging the NYSC to suspend the policy
following public outcry against the fee.
Chairman, House Committee on Youth
Development, Kamil Akinlabi made the
disclosure during a media chat at the National
Assembly.
Akinlabi explained that the fee will service a
private sector driven build, operate and
transfer agreement. He said the registration
equipment will be installed at the NYSC
offices nationwide.
The contractor handling the project is
expected to recoup its investment within five
years, Akinlabi stated at the briefing.
The lawmaker said the process was approved
by the Bureau of Public Procurement with a
certificate of no objection.
Akinlabi said, “From the onset, 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
from.
“First, it was not the responsibility of the
NYSC to mobilise respective corps members to
get their call-up letters, it is the responsibility
of the parents. If somebody schooled in Lagos
but lives in Kano and to get his call-up letter
he has to travel to school, you discover that its
time consuming, risky and very expensive.
“So what the NYSC has done is to partner with
a consultant that is already handling similar
projects for JAMB and WAEC that has
eliminated similar risk to partner with them
through a PPP arrangement. The PPP
arrangement will be on Built, Operate and
Transfer.
“The contractor would be responsible 100 per
cent for the purchase and installation of every
gadget that will be necessary to achieve that
in all the 36 headquarters including FCT and
in all local government headquarters as well
as all orientation camps across the country.
On September 30, federal lawmakers launched
an inquest into the controversial N4,000
online registration fee and consequently
urged NYSC to suspend the policy.
Hon. Hassan Saleh (Benue/PDP) in lead
debates on a motion moved on the matter
described the NYSC policy as “insensitive and
exploitative”.
“As laudable as the idea of sending call-up
letters though the internet may be, the
decision requiring fresh graduates to cough
out N4,000 to access letters appears
insensitive and exploitative,” Saleh said.
The presiding Deputy Speaker Emeka
Ihedioha ruled that the Committee on Youth
Development and the sponsor of the motion
be invited to be part of the panel that will
conduct a session on the matter.
There had been criticisms against the N4,000
fee but the NYSC had risen to its defence,
saying the computerisation would ease the
rigorous processes involved in the collection
of call-up letters.
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