The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has denied entering into any agreement with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) linking payment of a proposed N200 annual levy to mobilisation for national service.
In a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the Scheme stated that it had neither discussed nor agreed to the proposed arrangement with NANS, adding that it had not entered into any Memorandum of Understanding with the student body regarding the collection of any levy.
The clarification followed a widely circulated report claiming NANS was moving to collect the levy and tie it to camp mobilisation.
The controversy stemmed from comments by NANS National President Akinteye Babatunde, who had said the association was exploring a system requiring students to pay N200 in annual dues, with proof of payment potentially serving as a mobilisation requirement.
He had earlier stated that NYSC would be worked with, describing dues receipt as one of the criteria to be mobilised for camp, though he later indicated NANS was still exploring how to collect dues directly from students rather than through student union governments.
Babatunde said the initiative was meant to make NANS financially self-sufficient, insisting the modest sum was not intended to place an additional financial burden on students but to ensure NANS had the resources needed to operate independently.
NYSC pushed back firmly against the claim, urging students to disregard any suggestion that paying dues to NANS or any other association was a condition for mobilisation.
The Scheme advised students and prospective corps members to disregard any information suggesting that payment of a levy to NANS or any other association was required for NYSC mobilisation, stressing that its mobilisation process runs through official channels and operates strictly under Federal Government-approved guidelines.
