A youth political pressure group, Advocates for Collective Transformation (ACT) has lambasted the House of Representative, for endorsing the controversial N4,000 online registration fee for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilization, describing it 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 by House Committee on Youth Development Chairman, Hon. Kamil Akinlabi despite public outcry against the fee as “evil endorsement of oppression” of young people in the country.
ACT is an initiative of a non-governmental organization, “The Oak Tree Initiative for Youth Empowerment” comprising of Nigerian Youths who are professionals from different fields of life campaigning for the advancement of the rights of youths.
The group said the action signals that youths cannot be assured of quality representation from its elected law makers.
According to the group young people in the country are at greater risk with leaders like Hon. Akinlabi representing Nigerian youth interests at the legislative chamber.
“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 however 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 however insisted that “it’s 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, adding that the NYSC has run for more than 40 years without charging any corps member for money and the scheme has not collapsed.
It maintained that the government has not said it is broke to fund the scheme knowing that the scheme takes more than 70 percent of money allotted to the Ministry of Youth development.
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