The decision of the Federal Government to increase the monthly National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) allowance from N33000 to N77000 in line with the Minimum Wage (Amended) Act 2024 has been greatly acknowledged by scores of Nigerian especially corps members.
Corps members will start receiving the new amount with effect from July 2024, according to a statement on NYSC’s X page signed by its Acting Director Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, on Wednesday.
The statement noted that the increment followed an advocacy visit by NYSC Director General Yusha’u Ahmed to the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission.
Reacting to the development, a corps member by the name of Aliyu Gambo who is serving in Katsina, commended the decision of the government, noting “it serves as some relief for corps members who are contending with the skyrocketing prices of goods across the country.”
Juliet Agbo, another corps member currently serving in Lagos, received the development with a mixed perspective, saying that much as the increase will help ease the affairs of corps members in their service, the current economic reality is disturbing.
“I am happy that FG has announced the plan to review monthly allowance in line with the new minimum wage. However, the reality in the market isn’t encouraging. Prices of foods aren’t smiling. Hence, the value of money under threat”, Juliet added.
Calls for restructuring deepen
Now that the federal government has decided to raise monthly allowances, several people have called for the comprehensive review of the scheme in light of global competitive demands.
Months ago, the Minister of Youth Development Jamila Ibrahim hinted at the restructuring while speaking at the opening ceremony of the maiden meeting of NYSC management with heads of corps producing institutions in Nigeria, held at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.
The Minister noted that a team would be inaugurated to undertake the restructuring and review process, saying “the first of this reforms will be centered on reviewing participants with an entrepreneurship mindset and making skills development a core of the programme.”
“We envision a future where the NYSC programmes are not only self-sustained but also a revenue generating programme within the next five years. And to achieve this, we will institutionalise the NYSC ventures as an investment and asset management outfit”, the minister added.
Folorunso Fatai Adisa, a communication specialist and commentator on policy matters, stressed crucial need to review the scheme.
Mr Fatai, who spoke to Arbiterz on the development noted, “Everything either good or bad should be reviewed at some particular points in time. Reviews are needed to measure the potency and performance of any initiatives or policies. As such, the needed amendments will be done and such thing continue to serve its purpose. It’s on the strength of that that it becomes needful for NYSC to be reviewed so that it can meet all the reasons it’s created for.”
Emphasis on skills development
Meanwhile, several people have suggested that at the core of the review should be emphasis on skills development.
Ahmad Adebowale, a corps member in Kwara State, lamented the idea of posting of most corps members to schools, saying the process undermines their talent as many of them may end up being underutilized.
“Yes, the unity objective of the scheme is still there. But the idea of posting most corps members to schools isn’t fine. There are many that waste that one year”, he noted.
Ahmed also moved for the reduction of service year to six months to boost productivity and allow corps members focus on their lives.
Dr Ameen Akeem, a lecturer at the Kwara State College of Education (Technical) Lafiagi, highlighted the importance of the scheme in deepening unity in the country and how it can leveraged to tackle unemployment in Nigeria.
However, the academic insisted that the time to review the scheme is now, noting corps members need experiences beyond their Places of Primary Assignment.
“The purpose of the scheme is to foster unity. That is good one considering our diversity. However, it’s high time we began to also emphasize empowering the corps members beyond the PPA experience especially now that the monthly allowance has been increased. We can suggest that the payment be made to the corps members once upon completion of their service year. Some of them may use the money to set themselves up. This way we can address unemployment situation in the country.”
