The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Yush’au Ahmed, has assured corps members across Nigeria that the long-awaited increase in their monthly allowance will be implemented soon.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, January 7, during the inauguration of a bus donated to the NYSC by Capital Express Insurance Ltd., Ahmed addressed the concerns of corps members over the delay in the payment of their new allowance.
In September 2024, the Federal Government approved an increment in the monthly allowance of corps members from N33,000 to N77,000, effective from July 2024. However, the implementation of the payment has been delayed, leaving corps members anxious about when they will begin receiving the increased stipend.
Corps Members Will Smile Soon
Ahmed reassured the corps members, stating that the NYSC is fully committed to their welfare and that all necessary arrangements to effect the new payment have been concluded.
“Corps members will laugh very soon, that I assure you. Yes, they have not yet started receiving the increase in their allowance, but I tell you, all arrangements have already been concluded. Hopefully, very soon, they will see it. I don’t just want to mention when because I believe we are almost there,” he said.
He emphasized that the welfare and security of corps members remain the top priority of the NYSC.
“The first item on my policy thrust is the security and welfare of all corps members,” Ahmed added.
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New Bus to Enhance Welfare
During the event, the NYSC unveiled a welfare bus donated by Capital Express Insurance Ltd., which will serve the staff and corps members at the NYSC headquarters in Abuja. Ahmed expressed gratitude to the insurance company for its continued support and highlighted the importance of the donation in addressing the mobility needs of staff and corps members.
“This bus, to a large extent, will assist in taking staff and corps members serving in the headquarters from their homes to the office,” Ahmed said.
Corporate Support for NYSC
The Chief Executive Officer of Capital Express Insurance Ltd., Mathew Ogwezhi, highlighted the company’s commitment to supporting the NYSC. He explained that the bus donation was one of several ways the company has contributed to the scheme over the years.
“This will not be the first thing we are doing for the NYSC, and we intend to do more. We built a block in the Skill and Acquisition Centre, supported their training, and contributed to NYSC sports. Even at various camps, we engage in activities to support the corps members,” Ogwezhi said.
He added that one of the company’s core objectives is to partner with organizations that share mutual interests, emphasizing their dedication to improving the welfare of NYSC staff and corps members.
Hope for Corps Members
The assurance from the NYSC DG has sparked hope among corps members, many of whom rely on the monthly allowance for their upkeep during their mandatory service year. With arrangements reportedly concluded, corps members eagerly await the implementation of the N77,000 allowance, which will bring much-needed relief and improved financial stability.
For now, corps members are holding onto Ahmed’s promise: “They will laugh very soon.”