Federal Government Disappoints Corps Members Yet again, Fails to Implement Allowance Increment

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have once again received their previous monthly allowance of N33,000 for October, despite a recent federal announcement increasing the stipend to N77,000. The anticipated change, announced by the Federal Government on September 25, 2024, was set to align with the new National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024, which adjusted minimum allowances for corps members in response to rising costs of living across the country.

In a statement last month, government officials had assured corps members that the revised allowance would be implemented retroactively from July 2024, marking a significant uplift from the previous N33,000 to support corps members’ welfare. However, members received only N33,000 in September and have reported the same payment amount for October, raising concerns over the pace of the promised implementation.

Frustrated by the delay, many corps members have voiced their concerns on social media, highlighting the financial challenges they face. On X (formerly Twitter), a corps member identified as @prinx_ux lamented the gap between their current allowance and the rising costs of transportation and essential expenses: “The cost of living for NYSC corps members is very high. Minimum wage is 70k, yet the Federal Government and #NYSC are still paying us 33k. How on earth are they expecting us to survive in this hard country? Transportation is high, food is expensive. This doesn’t make sense.”

Adding to their frustrations, the Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, recently acknowledged the delay in a BBC Hausa interview. Ahmed clarified that the delay in implementing the new N77,000 allowance stems from the non-release of necessary funds by the government. He also noted that while NYSC staff salaries were adjusted several months ago, those changes have also yet to take effect due to similar funding delays.

The continued delay has sparked widespread dissatisfaction among corps members, many of whom are calling on the government to expedite the process to ease their financial burden amid Nigeria’s challenging economic conditions.