Mrs Christy Uba, Director, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has disclosed that the use of the integrated system has brought integrity to the scheme.
Uba disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
She said that the full computerisation of mobilisation processes has made the scheme’s operations very efficient and effective.
According to her, it has brought integrity into our operations, because before the advent of the integrated system it was difficult to retrieve data and also verify data.
“With the integrated system, we have the NYSC certificate verification portal which feeds from the system, and all our past records are there.
“So people go there to verify certificates, but for the ones that are from 1973 to maybe 1990s we are still working on them to bring them on board.
“So with the computerisation, our job has been made fast, and even our stakeholders, the young graduates, it has made things easier for them.”
Uba said that before the scheme became fully computerised; data entry for corps mobilisation was done manually which was always cumbersome and sometimes led to errors due to human interface.
She also said that the system had ensured that the issue of backlog and duplication was dealt with.
She added that the system had helped in eradicating the process of some persons serving more than once, except they manipulate the process, which was always discovered in the long run.
“It is not as rampant as it used to be. So, all these things have helped us and we are still looking at our other aspects.
“For instance, we fully computerised mobilisation and with this system, it is easier for us to generate various reports.
“With our computerisation, the issue of abscondment from service is being taken care of because on our portal once you are absent for three consecutive months without doing biometric, the system will automatically take you to be a potential absconders.
“Once you are there you cannot be posted to primary assignment and you cannot do biometrics, so the corps discipline and reward officers will now have to look at those cases quickly.”
The director revealed that the scheme was considering bringing every aspect of the NYSC on board the integrated system because all the data of the NYSC was now contained there.
She said that system would help in monitoring the progress of beneficiaries of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the scheme.
According to her, the system will bring on board all SAED’s collaborators, the curriculum being used and the skills to be acquired will be set as well as the various skill centres.
“So, these are the tools we are using because this integrated system is going to do a lot for the NYSC in future particularly as per record and data so that people will know this is what this corps member has done.
“Or these are the organisations that NYSC has collaborated with as regards SAED, so that tomorrow, if you transfer any officer, he will not throw away the record, that is what we are trying to avoid.”
Uba, however, said that initially the system was greeted with lots of criticisms and resistance, adding that it was accepted with lots of education and sensitisation on the benefits of migrating to the system.
She also said that to prevent scammers from getting on the new system, the department ensured that only people with integrity were allowed to have certain levels of access.
About the scheme’s ICT centre which is under construction, she said it would be completed soon and be showcased at the ‘NYSC@50′ celebration in 2023.
“It is an ICT centre inside the NYSC headquarters. We expect to have a data centre where the data entry staff will be and programmers.
“We also have developers’ rooms already designed but once the building aspect is concluded, then furnishings kick starts and necessary installations will be done.”
She added that the department has been collaborating with National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to set up the centre.