By Uche Amunike
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushua’u Ahmed, has assured serving Batch B, Stream 2 corps members, Tuesday, that the NYSC minimum wage will be increased immediately the federal government implements the N70,000 new minimum wage policy for civil servants in the country, which they agreed with the Nigerian Labour Congress.
He made this disclosure while addressing corps members at Kebbi State Orientation Camp, Dakingari and Sokoto State Orientation Camp in Wamakko.
He commended them for their selfless and immense contributions to the socio-economic development of the country, emphasizing that their efforts cannot be underestimated.
He further advised them to make use of the opportunity offered by the service year to develop themselves and make plans for more achievements in the future, while also, encouraging them to take advantage of the NYSC, skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development programs in order to acquire vocational skills that will make them self-reliant in the future.
His words: ‘At least, learn a skill while in camp and after the Orientation Course, you continue with the post-camp training. Try to acquire a skill that would enable you to create jobs and employ others instead of searching for jobs. We have many ex-Corps members across the country who are doing well in their different vocations today.’
‘The NYSC Management has partnered with many reliable organizations like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry, Unity Bank Access Bank, and NNPC Foundation among others, that have been assisting in giving loans and grants to Corps Members.’
He also promised them that they would be safe throughout the service year. While stating that they will be posted to safe locations, he advised them to remain vigilant in their surroundings.
On her own part, the NYSC coordinator in charge of Kebbi State, Aghata Banki-Okolo pointed out that corps members in her jurisdiction have adapted well to camp life, adding that their responses to all camp activities and instructions, were positive.
Hear her: ‘They are responding positively to all camp activities and instructions. We also have a total number of 240 camp officials who have been applying emotional intelligence in the discharge of their duties.’
‘A total of 1,195 Corps Members have been registered, comprising 1,077 for Kebbi and 118 that were dislodged from Zamfara State.’
The coordinator in charge of Sokoto State, Yakubu Usman has also praised the serving corps members in Sokoto for their discipline and instant adaptation to the environment of the camp.
According to him, the total number of corps members in the state amounts to 1488. This includes 682 males and 106 females. He noted that this figure includes 134 males and 66 females that were displaced from Zamfara State as a result of security threats.
Recall that organized labor agreed that the minimum wage of N70,000 will be paid to civil servants after their negotiations with the federal government. On July 23, the bill that raised Nigeria’s minimum wage from N30,000 naira was passed by the National Assembly and signed into law on July 29.
On Tuesday, the NYSC DG, Usman, gave his assurances that the NYSC minimum wage will be increased as soon as the federal government implements the agreed new minimum wage for civil servants.
