By John Oba
Abuja
In order to curb forgery and impersonation, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has unveiled newly improved certificates of national service, exemption and letter of exclusion.
Unveiling the certificates yesterday at the scheme’s headquarters, Abuja, the acting director, Certification, Alhaji Aliu Hudu Duara, said as part of the scheme efforts to engage in the holistic digitalisation of its operations, the new certificate of national service and certificate of exception would bear passport photographs of the corps members at the upper right hand corner of the certificate with effect from Batch ‘C’ 2014.
Daura also said part-time, distance learning and sandwich programmes students whose data were submitted to the NYSC by the institution from Batch ‘B’ 2015 would register online and commence printing of their letters of exclusion bearing their photograph at the upper left hand corner of the letter.
Duara said the digitalisation of the Scheme would enhance issuance of the certificates and letter of exclusion, adding that effort was being made to make the verification of all NYSC certificates automated for easy access by the general public.
He said: “This is to guarantee the security of our certificates from forgery and to block all chances of impersonation. Therefore Batch ‘C’ 2014s corps members who are due to pass-out tomorrow will have their certificates embossed with their photograph.
“Equally all certificates of exemption of these candidates with effects from Batch ‘C’ 2014 in the month of November, last year, were embossed with their passport photographs at the upper right hand corner of the certificate, however employers are encouraged to forward any certificate purportedly issued by the scheme for verification of its authenticity or otherwise.”
The director, Press, and Public Relations, Mrs Abosede Aderibigbe, said the innovations would not invalidate previous certificates issued by the scheme before the commencement of the new certificate, assuring Nigerians that the new certificate “cannot be forged as there are hidden features that fraudsters cannot bypass.”
She said: “These innovations are meant to protect the integrity of the scheme and to ensure that cases of fake NYSC certificates are stopped. And I want to assure you that, before NYSC clocks 50; more innovations will be unveiled to make the scheme conform to global best practices.”