One of the affected unemployed members of the organisation said over 180,000 members would have to cough up the amount.
The Peace Corps of Nigeria is asking its members to pay N5,000 each to participate in a nationwide verification and data capturing programme, SaharaReporters has gathered.
One of the affected unemployed members of the organisation, on Wednesday, told SaharaReporters that over 180,000 members would have to cough up the amount.
“This is extortion; many affected persons cannot afford it,” the member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
Another affected person said the majority of them were not happy with the move and “we will do everything we can to stop it”.
In a memo by the Corps with a ref.no: PCN/HQ/017/027/V.1/21, dated April 9, 2021, only those who participated in the exercise with the payment of N5,000 will be issued the revised service identity card of the Corps.
“In anticipation of the passage of a Bill for An Act to Establish the Nigerian Peace Corps by the National Assembly in order to give statutory backing to this organisation and its eventual assent by Mr President, there is an urgent need to conduct a nationwide verification exercise and capture the data of all current bonafide officers and men of the corps for the records,” the statement partly read.
“The exercise, which is to be conducted simultaneously with the payment of 2021 annual membership dues of five thousand naira (N5,000.00) only, is to be held nationwide. Thus, it is only officers and men that participate in the exercise that will be issued the revised Service ID Card of the Corps.
“As provided for in Article 21, Section 1 (d), page 33 of our enabling Constitution, the data capturing exercise should only involve regular members of the Corps that must have paid all previous approved dues, fees and levies payable by and under the Constitution,” the memo said.