THE ALLEGATION
Premium Times, an online newspaper, famous for its investigative journalism, has revealed that Nigeria's finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, did not participate in the compulsory one National Youth Service Corps.
The paper alleges that she rather forged her certificate many years after she graduated from London polytechnic. The paper also claims that her certificate, dated September 2009.
Another worrying revelation by the paper was the disclosure that principal officers of the National Assembly discovered the fake NYSC certificate among the documents she submitted as part of her screening for the post of a minister of the Federal Republic. But rather than raise an alarm, they decided to blackmail her into bending to do their bidding. This the paper claimed is evident in the shady disbursement of over #10bn to the National Assembly recently.
The NYSC scheme is a mandatory service for all Nigerian graduates who wishes to work in the land. The scheme was designed to promote unity and the spirit of patriotism among young Nigerians below below the age of 31.
PROVISIONS OF THE NYSC ACT OF 2004 (AMENDED).
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| The NYSC is mandatory for all Nigerian graduates below 30. |
A quick look at the NYSC Act that deals with the issue of forgery and refusal to participate in the scheme, reveals several jail terms and fines for offenders.
According to Law Nigeria, section 13 of the NYSC Act states as follows:
(1) Any person—
(a) who fails to report for service in the service corps in the manner directed by the Directorate or as the case may be, prescribed pursuant to the provisions of this Act; or
(b) who refuses to make himself available for service in the service corps continuously for the period specified in subsection (2) of this section, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N2,000 or to imprisonment for a term of twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(2) Any person who—
(a) under the provisions of this Act is not eligible to participate in the service corps so participates or attempts to so participate is guilty of an offence; or
(b) having served in the service corps and has been duly issued with a Certificate of National Service or certificate of exemption, as the case may be, and is not eligible to serve under the same service corps so participates or attempts to so participate is guilty of an offence, and liable on conviction to a fine of N4,000 or to imprisonment for a term of two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(3) Any person who fails to comply with or who contravenes or causes or aids or abets another to contravene any provision of this Act (not being a provision relating to the calling up of members of the service corps) is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of three years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(4) Any person who—
(a) in giving any information for the purposes of this Act knowingly or recklessly makes a statement which is false; or
(b) forges or uses or lends to or allows to be used other than in the manner provided by this Act by any other person any certificate issued pursuant to the provisions of this Act; or
(c) makes, or has in his possession any document so closely resembling any certificate so issued as to be calculated to deceive, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of three years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(5) Where an offence under subsection (3) of this section which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of any director, manager, secretary or other official of the body corporate, or any person purporting to act in such capacity, he as well as the body corporate shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
THE ONUS IS ON THE MINISTER, AND THE PRESIDENT.
Since these allegations surfaced, honorable minister Kemi Adeosun and her aides have not issued any statement either to denounce or confirm these worrisome allegations. Mrs Kemi should do well to explain her side of the story. She must be able to proof beyond any doubt that these are nothing but mere fictions or simply step down.
During the past three years, several members of the President's close appointees have been accused of one impropriety or breach of constitutional provisions. But the reaction and body language of Nigeria's Mr anti corruption has left many disappointed.
On this occasion however, the stakes are much higher. For a minister responsible for the recovery of looted assets and monies belonging to the nation to be immersed in a scandal of these nature is very worrisome to say the least.
Tot this end, the president must stand firm and investigate these allegations. He must show himself strong by suspending her, then allowing the the relevant agencies to swiftly swing in to action to reveal the truth. And if she is found innocent, she should be restored to her position. Otherwise, the true course of justice must be pursued.
For a man seeking reelection, all eyes are peeled, watching patiently to see how the president handles this potential banana skin.
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