The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, management on Friday, described as misleading, the media reports that the NYSC Trust Fund, was created by the military as conduit-pipe to siphon funds by retired officers.
In a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, the Scheme said that the news item: ‘How Nigeria Military Officers Secretly Push For Establisment of NYSC Trust Fund To Steal As Their Retirement Package’ was misleading and tissue of lies meant to misinform the public.
Megwa urged the general public to ignore the reports for its lack of clarification and accuracy and substance.
The statement further stated that the decision to establish NYSC Trust Fund was concieved in a meeting of some of the stakeholders, which included the thirty-six state governments and the Federal Capital Terrority, FCT administration.
Megwa stressed that the Trust Fund was established to provide funds to a greater percentage of Corps members trained under the NYSC Skill Acquisition programme to start-up their businesses.
He explained that the scheme was strongly supported by civil societies, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as well as Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).
“The attention of NYSC Management has been drawn to a story with the above caption, making the rounds in the social media
“The decision to establish NYSC Trust Fund was conceived during a meeting held with some of the Scheme’s stakeholders; notably: the thirty-six State Governments and FCT Administration; and thereafter strongly supported by civil societies, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as well as Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON)
“Primarily, the Fund is purposed to address the infrastructural deficit besetting the Scheme in the area of camp renovation and maintenance; upgrading, building and maintenance of Corps Members’ Lodges, among others
“Statutorily, the Scheme as it were, has a tripartite funding arrangement – the Federal, State and Local Governments, with each having varying degree of responsibilities
“Over the years, the Scheme has equally partnered governmental and non-governmental institutions in the area of providing start-up capitals to Corps Members to fund their business initiatives under the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme which is a direct answer to the often asked rhetorical question: After the NYSC what next?
“It is appropriate to clarify that the Fund which passed public hearing, with civil societies, the academia, among others, fully represented is not a pool of slush fund meant to gratify the financial cravings of top military officers as erroneously stated by the writer of the story.
“While Management holds the media in high esteem as a worthy partner, it wishes to restate the need for writers to clarify issues pertaining to the Scheme with the managers before rushing to publish, in order to guard against misleading the public.” The statement reads.