A youth political pressure group, the Advocates for Collective Transformation, has described the endorsement of the N4,000 online registration fee for the National Youth Service Corps mobilization by the House of Representative as a misrepresentation and betrayal of Nigerian youths.
ACT in a statement signed by its President, Tayo Fashogbon, and National Secretary, Isaac Ifetoluwa Ajayi, described the endorsement of the fee by the Chairman of the House Committee on Youth Development, Hon. Kamil Akinlabi, despite public outcry against the fee, as “evil endorsement of oppression” of young people in the country.
The group said the action signals that youths cannot be assured of quality representation from its elected lawmakers.
The group said young people in the country are at greater risk with leaders like Akinlabi representing Nigerian youth interests at the legislative chamber.
The statement said: “Hon. Akinlabi and his committee has swallowed the NYSC pill to extort fresh Nigerian graduates, we wonder how it taste in their mouths. If Nigerian youths cannot be assured of quality representation from its elected lawmakers, our future is at greater risk.
“Representative like Hon Akinlabi and his committee members has failed promising young Nigerians who deserve better representation at decision making process at all level of governance.”
The group called on the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tanbuwal, to immediately disband the committee on youth for falling to protect the interest of young Nigerians.
The group insisted it was unfair, wicked and satanic to monetize any process of the NYSC scheme, saying there is no justification for the fee.
The youth group added that arguments that the fee charged is to provide technology at all NYSC offices across the country lacks merit, saying the NYSC has run for more than 40 years without charging any corps member for money and the scheme has not collapse.
It maintained that the government has not said it is broke to fund the scheme, noting that the scheme stills takes more than 70 per cent of money allotted to the Ministry of Youth.
The statement added: “We also call for immediate suspension of this fraudulent extortion of helpless and jobless fresh graduates who are eager to serve their fathers land. We called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately stop the online fee and ensure all prospective corps members who have been defrauded in this process are refund back their parent’s hard earn money.”