NLC berates NYSC over N4,000 levy on corps members

The Nigerian Labour congress, NLC, has criticised the National Youth Corp Member, NYSC, for compelling corps members to pay N4,000 online registration fee, saying the process has been exploited by the NYSC as a money-making venture.

In a press statement Thursday, the union condemned the policy of levying corps members before being registered for the compulsory one-year scheme.

The union however commended the authorities of the NYSC for the online registration initiative which it said saves prospective corps members from the risks associated with travel.

“We certainly find it morally wrong for the authorities to turn this initiative into a money-making venture,” the statement by the NLC General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, said.

“It is the more in congruent and unacceptable because it seems the authorities now want to take advantage of the weak and the vulnerable,” the statement said.

The NLC explained that as a general rule, any technology that seeks to increase the cost of production is not worth the effort.

“In the instance, we have reason to believe that the online registration initiative helps to reduce both administrative and bureaucratic costs which NYSC had borne all along,

“Embracing technology should reduce operating cost, time and wastage,” it said.

The NLC called on the authorities at the NYSC to retrace their steps by reversing the policy of charging corps members N4, 000.

The NYSC’s director for Corps Mobilisation, Anthony Ani, had said on a radio programme that a N4,000 on line registration fee will be paid by fresh gradate before they get their call up letters.

The policy has drawn criticisms.