An Educational Tools Development Organisation, the Bridge Concepts Nigeria., on Monday launched a discount card for Nigerian Students and Youth Corpers (NS&YC) across the country.
The discount card was launched
in collaboration with the management of the National Youth Service Corps
(NYSC) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in
Abuja.
The theme of the launch is ``Creating a Systematic Social Safety Platform for the Youth's".
Mr Bimbo Daramola, the Chief
Executive Officer of the organisation, said the discount card entitled
students and corps members to access discount on prices of products and
services across Nigeria.
He said the organization had partnered with more than 400 service providers across the country to launch the card.
He said the initiative aimed to
introduce a systematic and institutional support programme to help
alleviate challenges and improve the living condition of students and
corps members.
``Many students and corpers
cannot afford basic needs such as food, clothing, books and other
necessities to enable them survive and carry out their studies to the
fullest.
``The economic situation has
imposed huge challenges on the youth population as some parents are
losing their jobs while others are delayed salaries for long periods.
``These youths are made to pay
the same as income earners; there is no systematic platform to avail
them the protection they need from the vagaries of day to day living.
``Most of them therefore resort
to short cut options and other vices with the feeling that nobody cares
for them," Dartmoor said.
He said that the card would
therefore increase the purchasing power of the users and bring a system
of value, savings and convenience to them.
Daramola said the card would
also promote the well-being of students and corpers by maximising the
little resources they had to meet exigent financial commitments.
According to him, once the card
has been issued the bearer can purchase goods and services at the
discounted price offered by participating partners.
He said that the organisation
would continue to make efforts towards ensuring that within two to three
years the card could serve over 23 million students and corpers.
Rep. Tajudeen Yusuf, Chairman,
House Committee on Capital Market, urged all Nigerian students to key
into the initiative as the card could help reduce many of the challenges
they faced.
He said that the world over even
in developed countries people faced different challenges as no
government could totally eliminate the problems of citizens.
Yusuf said that students and
youths in the country may face various challenges but assured that with
time things would get better.
Mr Tijani Usman, the President
of NANS, said the initiative was a welcomed development as the
association continually fought for the welfare of Nigerian students.
He said that the association
would ensure that the over 40 million Nigerian students within the
country and in diaspora were informed of the initiative.
``It is a laudable project and
we will make sure that all Nigerian students at home and abroad key into
this initiative," Usman said.
Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, a corps
member serving in the FCT, also lauded the project and its organisers,
urging all corps members to key into the initiative.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
reports that card holders can enjoy from five to 50 per cent discount
on regular products and services across Nigeria.
Students and corps members can
get discount on goods and services ranging from libraries, education and
training, telecommunications and Internet services, fashion and
travels.
Other services covered by the
card include food and restaurants, healthcare and medicals, leisure and
entertainment, insurance and banking.
Some of the dignitaries present
at the launch included Sen. Binta Garba, Chairman, Senate Committee on
Education, Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.
Others were Prof. Michael
Faberode, Chairman, Committee of Vice Chancellors, and Dean of Students
Affairs, University of Abuja, Dr Peter Adakayi.
Present at the launching was the
President, National Association of Polytechnic Students, Mr Adeyeye
Olusegun, and Mr Adediwura Adesina representing students of Colleges of
Education.
Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, the NYSC Director-General, was represented by the corps Director of Special Duties, Mr Yakubu Joc.
NAN also reports that Daramola,
the former Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), is currently the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Speaker of
the House of Representative, Rep. Yusuf Lasun.
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