The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, has provided clarification regarding the delay in implementing the recent increase in corps members’ monthly allowance, attributing it to funding challenges faced by the government.
This explanation comes in the wake of the Federal Government's approval to raise the allowance from ₦33,000 to ₦77,000, which was set to take effect from July 2024.
The increment was confirmed in an official letter from the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission, dated September 25, 2024, and signed by its Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta. This letter underscored the government's commitment to enhancing the financial support provided to corps members as part of their service to the nation.
However, corps members expressed their concerns after only receiving the previous allowance of ₦33,000 in their September payments, despite the government’s announcement. This discrepancy led to confusion and dissatisfaction among the participants in the program, as many had anticipated the promised increase.
In an interview with the BBC Hausa service, Brigadier General Ahmed elaborated that while the increase in allowance had received the green light, the requisite funds to facilitate the new payment levels had yet to be disbursed by the government. He assured corps members that the NYSC is diligently working alongside the appropriate authorities to hasten the release of these funds and guarantee the prompt implementation of the increased allowance.
He stated, “Not only the corps members, even our staff members’ salary has been increased about four to five months ago, but it has not been implemented yet. However, we remain hopeful that the new pay will be executed soon, as the funds have not yet been made available to us.”
Moreover, Brigadier General Ahmed mentioned, “The information we have did not specify when the new allowance will be paid, but we were assured that their monthly allowance has been increased from 29th July 2024.” This statement reflects the ongoing efforts of the NYSC to communicate transparently with corps members regarding their financial situation and the steps being taken to resolve the delays.