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

Ogar made this disclosure in response to criticism from Anthony Bissong Attah, the State Chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), who had questioned the priority of constructing a corpers' lodge in the local government area.

"Council pays several millions of naira to a private individual, and sometimes we're dragged to court for nonpayment for a property housing corpers," Ogar explained, defending the decision to build a dedicated facility.

Criticism from YPP Chairman

Attah had earlier criticized the project on social media, questioning its necessity. "This so-called corpers' lodge is for what exactly? What's the exact assignment of these corpers?" he asked.

The YPP chairman further suggested that corps members should be reassigned to schools or other Places of Primary Assignment (PPAs) where their services would be more valuable, claiming that "over 70 percent of local government staff are redundant, reducing the entire council to a gossip mill and siesta arena."

Attah also alleged that "over 90 percent of these corpers are as disposable to the council as most of the statutory staff," referring to local government councils as the "Ministry of No Work."

Financial Justification

In his defense, Ogar clarified that the lodge is specifically for corps members directly assigned to the council, noting that those posted to schools and other institutions are accommodated by their respective PPAs.

"The lodge is for those sent directly to the council. Their colleagues who are sent to schools and elsewhere are taken care of by their respective PPAs, so is it the ones that have been sent to us that we won't be interested in their comfort?" he questioned.

Ogar also revealed that the council operates shuttle bus services for the corps members at considerable expense to ease their transportation burden.

"Instead of a pile-up debt or paying so much to just a single individual against the development of the council, why not have a structure to house our corps members and save the council the stress?" he concluded, framing the construction as a cost-saving measure in the long term.