NYSC denies NANS levy for mobilisation of graduates

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has denied authorising or agreeing to the collection of any levy from students by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as part of the mobilisation process for national service.

The NYSC Director, Information and Public Relations, Mrs Caroline Embu, made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

Embu was reacting to a viral publication alleging that NANS planned to collect N200 from Nigerian students as a levy linked to NYSC mobilisation.

She described the report as false, stressing that the NYSC had neither discussed nor reached any agreement with NANS on the collection of a levy from students.

“The NYSC wishes to state unequivocally that it has not, at any time, discussed, agreed to, or entered into any Memorandum of Understanding with NANS regarding the collection of any levy from students,” she said.

According to her, the NYSC operates under the authority of the Federal Government and implements only policies and procedures approved by the appropriate government authorities.

She explained that mobilisation for national service was carried out through established official channels involving the NYSC management and Heads of Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs).

The institutions, she added, are responsible for supplying the necessary information on their graduates to enable the NYSC carry out the mobilisation exercise.

Embu emphasised that the mobilisation process was not connected to the activities of NANS or any other student organisation.

She therefore urged students and prospective corps members to disregard any claim that payment of a levy to NANS or another association was a requirement for NYSC mobilisation.

The NYSC management, she added, remained committed to ensuring a transparent, credible and efficient mobilisation process in accordance with existing government policies and guidelines.