The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), to be apolitical in handling the certificate saga, what could be the propeller of the advice, and do you think the Scheme cannot be trusted?

"If corruption is a disease, transparency is a central part of its treatment". — Kofi Annan.

This is the case of NYSC which is ready to be a central part of curing corruption disease by being transparent.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the NYSC to be apolitical in handling the certificate saga. The HURIWA National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko asserted that the NYSC DG is a suspect to have made a sudden u-turn claiming that Mbah was not issued an original certificate by NYSC. 

This happened shortly after NYSC denied issuing Peter Mbah who happens to be the Enugu State Governor-elect. HURIWA coordinator believed the NYSC DG might be working for opposition parties which have led to the denial of Mbah's NYSC certificate.

"Even at 50 years of existence, NYSC has become an instrument for mischievous politicians to weaponize their political detractors". Emmanuel Onwubiko lamented.

The Competent Governance for Accountability and Trust, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) also provided information about the certificate saga. The CSO reported that in February 2023, NYSC issued a letter by Ibrahim Muhammed, director of certifications, confirming that Mbah's certificate was not issued by the agency. It was endeared that Mbah had followed the due process throughout his one-year service.

"The fact is that an NYSC discharge certificate is not a privilege conferred by the NYSC but the statutory right of anyone who diligently undergoes the one-year mandatory service". CSO said

CSO lamented that corruption has eaten deep into the NYSC. He urged the federal government to reform and disband the agency. The certificate saga has caused a lot of agitation which has left everyone confused.

The question therein: Can the scheme be trusted or do we say corruption has eaten deep into NYSC that we can no longer trust them?

The reports gathered have shown that NYSC can no longer be trusted. But, whilst thinking whether they can be trusted or not, and coming to the conclusion why NYSC cannot be trusted. A group came into the spotlight and commended NYSC for its transparency and honesty.

The Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) led by Solomon Semaka commended the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for maintaining its integrity posture despite manipulations against it by some politicians.

He said: "It is no longer news that Mbah has been enmeshed in an NYSC certificate forgery scandal to which he has made frantic efforts to correct, albeit, distort information in the subject matter with the intent to mislead Nigerians".

On a contrary note, the SNM confirmed that Mr. Peter Mbah was mobilized and participated in the orientation course but was unable to serve for a full year because he left to attend law school which he never returned to complete his one-year NYSC service.

The SNM shed more light on how the serial number of certificates of people who served with him did not tally. The efforts of NYSC are highly commendable for their integrity and transparency. NYSC is apolitical and plays nothing but to everyone irrespective of status.

"NYSC is bigger than his dreams and political ego".

NYSC has played a major role in controlling the high rate of NYSC certificate forgery, the court of law should therefore play its role as well by adhering strictly to what the law says.

The law in section 13, provides that eligible Nigerians who skip the service are liable to be sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. Anyone who forges a certificate should be sentenced to 3 years.

In 2019, the case of the former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun was revealed by the NYSC confirming the certificate forgery.

NYSC has been in existence for 50 years and has been known for honesty and transparency. NYSC should therefore continue to leverage at this pace by ensuring to confirm the authenticity of any NYSC certificate presented by any individual. 

Likewise, the court of law should bring to book people who issue certificate forgery and those that have them in their possession. NYSC has always been in charge of this, they can be trusted as the case may be.

WRITTEN BY: Adeleke Busayo Sarah

State Code: OS/23A/3293