THE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance, did apply for an exemption certificate but the agency refused to say when the application was made and whether it was granted.
Adeyemi Adenike, NYSC’s Director of Press and Public Relations, made this known in a statement issued on Monday, in reaction to the report that Adeosun is parading a fake NYSC exemption certificate.
“Our attention has been drawn to the issue of the alleged forgery of an NYSC Exemption Certificate by the Honorable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun,” the statement read.
“Checking our records, Mrs. Adeosun did apply for an Exemption Certificate. We shall investigate the origin of the purported Exemption Certificate in question.”
This is the first official reaction by the NYSC since the story of Adeosun’s fake NYSC certificate was published by Premium Times on Saturday. The report alleged that Adeosun, having graduated from a UK University at the age of 22, flouted the NYSC Act, by evading the mandatory one-year national service. Rather, Adeosun was said to have fraudulently procured a fake exemption certificate and had presented same as part of requirements for employment.
The newspaper reported that the NYSC had refused to cooperate with its reporters who sought to know the authenticity of the exemption letter being paraded by Adeosun. Even when a Freedom of Information request was made to the NYSC, it still refused to provide the needed information.
Speaking with a Premium Times reporter on Wednesday, Adenike explained that the delay in providing the necessary clarifications about Adeosun’s NYSC exemption certificate was caused by efforts to ensure that the verification processes were concluded.
“The NYSC as a public institution and organisation where some information is domiciled for public interest will definitely not hoard any information. But whatever we are releasing from this organisation, from our tables, must definitely be subjected to every test so that when we say this is verified or not verified we stand by our words,” Adenike explained.
“Your request has been received and is being worked upon and the moment the verification process is concluded you will be given the right response.
“You may just need to give a little more time so that the verification process goes through every stage and at the end of the day when anything is being said on the verification we can stand by it.
“But we don’t want ever to give out information when every test has not been carried out. Just give us a little more time and we will get back to you.”
This conversation between Adenike and the reporter took place earlier on Monday, before the official statement was released later in the evening.
Adeosun is yet to issue an official reaction to the allegations of forgery against her. Also the ministry of finance is yet to comment on the issue.