The National Youth Service Corps on Sunday in Abuja denied the allegation that its leadership had embezzled the N23.5m donation to critically injured ex-corps members, describing the report as mischievous.

Our correspondent reports that the money was donated to the corps members under the NYSC Hope Alive Initiative, a public/private sector partnership scheme aimed at bringing succour to corps members who suffer permanent disabilities during service.

At the 2014 NYSC President’s Honour Award, the Ibeto Group and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, promised N5m to the victims while Heritage Bank pledged the beneficiaries N1.5m each, bringing all the donations to N23.5m.


 
The NYSC explained that out of the three organisations that promised to make monetary donations, only Akpabio fulfilled his promised of N5m to the nine injured corps members.

The NYSC, in a statement by its Director (Press and Public Relations), Mrs. Abosede Aderibigbe, maintained that the money had been shared among the nine ex-corps members.

While describing the source of the report as questionable, she said the allegation was aimed at tarnishing the image of the NYSC.

Aderibigbe recalled that the Federal Government had fulfilled the promise to employ the nine ex-corps members.

She said, “The money pledged to the Hope Alive Programme of the NYSC and the nine critically injured ex-corps members was a public matter. Therefore, there is no way somebody or the NYSC will sit on their money.”

Aderibigbe quoted the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, as explaining that in the past, youth corps members, who sustained injuries leading to permanent disabilities during their service were subjected to post-service emotional and psychological trauma as they were neglected by the same society they were serving.

“The cash awards by the private sector partners and the offer of employment by the Federal Government would indeed bring succour not only to the now physically-challenged ex-corps members but also to their families who placed their hopes in them for support after their service year.”