UNICAL Once Mobilised a Bread Seller for NYSC, DG Alleges

•Commends university’s VC for raising the alarm

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed has accused the University of Calabar (UNICAL) of mobilising a bread seller for the national service scheme.

Ahmed made the allegation in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr. Eddy Megwa.

According to Ahmed, the demobilisation of candidates was in line with the scheme’s continuous efforts to prevent unqualified graduates from getting the NYSC Certificate of National Service.

He said the demobilised candidates would be prosecuted accordingly.

Ahmed said another 19 candidates who initially registered online for mobilisation were prevented from service, while four certificates of national service for other culprits were not produced by the scheme.

“This is in addition to the earlier 101 certificates that were recently voided by the scheme, making a total of 178”, he said.

The DG commended the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Florence Obi, for her forthrightness in hinting at NYSC on the mobilisation of unqualified graduates from the institution.

“The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar came here to report that she observed some names appearing on the institution’s list and they ought not to have been there.

“She checked the list the school gave us and I told her that their certificates would be invalidated. I give kudos to the vice-chancellor.

“Previously, a bread seller was mobilised on the graduation list from the same institution; there are bad eggs in many places that generate matriculation numbers and courses for their candidates,” the D-G said.

Ahmed, however, said NYSC would leave no stone unturned towards sanitising its mobilisation process.

He also said that the scheme would intensify its collaboration with all the Heads of Corps Producing Institutions and relevant stakeholders in the country to stop the menace.

He added that any failure in the mobilisation process from any school falls on the integrity of the management of such an institution.

“Those who are responsible for imputing the data of graduates should be people of integrity”, he said.

He called on employers of labour to verify the authenticity of certificates of national service being presented for job placement from the NYSC.