We Spend Millions to House, Transport Corps Members Daily – Etung Council Official

The Head of Finance in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, John Ogar, has revealed that the council spends millions of naira annually to provide accommodation and daily transportation for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posted to the council.

Ogar made this known while responding to criticism from the Cross River State Chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Anthony Bissong Attah, who had questioned the need to construct a dedicated lodge for corps members, calling it a misplaced priority.

“We pay several millions of naira to private landlords to accommodate corps members, and sometimes the council is dragged to court over unpaid rent,” Ogar stated. “We also run shuttle services to convey them to and from work daily, which is another significant cost.”

Attah, in his social media commentary, questioned the necessity of the lodge project. “What’s the actual assignment of these corps members that justifies building a lodge? Why not deploy them to schools or more useful placements where their services are needed?” he asked, while also accusing local councils of being overstaffed and underproductive.

In defense, Ogar explained that the lodge is intended for corps members posted directly to the council, not those serving in schools or other institutions, who are housed by their respective places of primary assignment (PPAs).

“Those corps members sent to the council are our responsibility,” Ogar said. “Is it fair to ignore their welfare while their colleagues in other PPAs are properly taken care of?”

According to him, building a permanent lodge will save the council from recurring financial burdens and legal disputes associated with rent.

“Instead of wasting resources year after year on temporary accommodation and transport, it is more sensible to invest in a structure that will serve future corps members and reduce our operational costs,” he added.