By Kemi Yesufu

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Better times are here for undergraduates and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as they joined their counterparts in other countries, including Kenya, Ghana and the United Kingdom, who use discount cards. The new scheme qualifies them to pay less for goods at some stores and outlets of service providers.
The card, tagged: ‘Nigerian Students/NYSC Discount Card (NS&YC), which can be presented for as much as 50 per cent discount, was launched in Abuja recently by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, through the Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase.
Anyone driving past the expansive Nigeria Air Force conference center venue of the event would have wondered what major event was taking place as it was filled to capacity with many guests having to observe from outside due to lack of siting space inside the hall.
Excitement also filled the air as a crowd of NYSC members and students of higher institutions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and their counterparts from neighbouring Nasarawa and Niger states could hardly hold back their joy.
With exquisitely dressed, crisp and courteous ushers, and melodious music being dished out by the Disc Jockey (DJ), guests had no dull moments till the event proper began slightly behind schedule. Ace comedian, Francis Odega, also made an appearance at the launch, urging that students and NYSC members key into the idea. Odega in his characteristic comic style, wished that such a card was in existence while he was in school.
Speaking on the occasion, Hon. Bimbo Daramola, founder of Bridge Concepts, the parent company of the NS&YC said: “The attendance should not be a surprise because with 350 partners on board even before the launch, our youth should naturally be interested and excited. The implication being that, with this huge partnership at inception, with more to follow, the Nigerian youth knows that everywhere he turns for goods and service, there is a discount available to be enjoyed. They would not only save some money, they will also be able to get more for the little they have.”
Daramola said in two years, the initiative would have served the 23 million youths, adding that the card comes in handy at a time states no longer pay salaries regularly with parents struggling to make ends meet.
The former lawmaker challenged the users and prospective subscribers to judge in the next one year, how the platform would have impacted their lives.
Following his opening remarks, a video slide depicting what the card was all about was shown to the audience, who responded with a standing ovation.
Dogara in his speech, described the card as innovative and in tandem with beliefs often expressed by its main promoter, Hon. Daramola, whom he said, has always displayed genuine commitment to the welfare youths.
The Speaker noted that the card would be a great asset to the partners considering the market represented by the youths on the platform.
Another lawmaker, T.J Yusuf, who is a former students union leader, described the card as the best solution for the current economic realities as it takes away a chunk of financial burden from students and NYSC members.
The vice president (external) of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Oluwastosin Ogunkuade, pledged that the association would ensure that only genuine students obtain the card.
He said: “When we heard of this scheme, we had no reservation about keying into it. We students only depend on what our parents give us and with wages not going up along with the price of goods and services, this discount will be of great use to us.”
Abuja Metro gathered that the discount card, which can be used at the outlets of about 1,200 partners across the country, including MANGO and NEXT mall, enjoys the official endorsement of prominent stakeholders such as the committee of Vice-Chancellors, the NANS, the NYSC and the Chairperson of the Senate on Tertiary Education, Senator Binta Garba Masi.