Nigerian Youth Corps Members Bemoan Continued Payment Of N33,000 Allowance Despite N77,000 Increment
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The government had announced the increment of monthly allowance for corps members from N33,000 to N77,000, in accordance with the 2024 Minimum Wages Act.
Serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have bemoaned the continued payment of N33,000 as their monthly allowance by the Nigerian government.
The government had announced the increment of monthly allowance for corps members from N33,000 to N77,000, in accordance with the 2024 Minimum Wages Act. The government promised that the increment would be effective from July 2024.
This newspaper gathered that President Bola Tinubu’s administration surprisingly paid corps members their old monthly allowance of N33,000 for September, despite the recent approval to increase it to N77,000.
The NYSC later said it could not say when the directive for the payment of the N77,000 allowance newly approved for corps members would be implemented.
Speaking to SaharaReporters, some corps members confirmed that the government paid them N33,000 last week as their October allowance without any explanation as to when the N77,000 increased allowance will be implemented.
“They started paying us last Wednesday. Many of us hoped they would pay us N77,000 this time as they promised. Some have even planned their budget on N77,000. So we were shocked and disappointed when we received N33,000,” a corps member serving in Kogi State told SaharaReporters.
This was also confirmed by two other corps members stationed in Oyo and Kwara states. These corps members stated that the delay in implementing the increase in their allowance is a complete disregard to their plights at the places of service.
They alleged that at least two sets had passed out from the service since the announcement of the increment, but the government failed to pay them their entitlements.
“It is not easy for us. This is why most corps members are not showing commitment. Maybe they want us to be serving with hungry stomach. Continuing to pay us N33,000 is ridiculous and even the officials are not saying anything. They have just kept quiet as if everything is fine,” another corps member said.
