Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have expressed frustration over the Federal Government’s failure to implement the approved N77,000 allowance, months after it was announced.
The government had approved an increment from N33,000 to N77,000, with the new payment expected to take effect from July 2024. However, the NYSC Director-General, Brig. Gen. Yushau Ahmed, later stated that the implementation was delayed due to non-release of funds, assuring corps members that the new allowance would commence in February 2025.
Despite this promise, findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that corps members received only N33,000 for their February allowance, sparking widespread discontent.
A corps member serving in Abia State, who spoke anonymously, described the situation as unfair, stressing that the current stipend is grossly insufficient.
“The N33,000 is not enough for us. Our PPAs (Places of Primary Assignment) don’t provide accommodation, so we handle that ourselves. Feeding, transportation, and other expenses make survival nearly impossible on this amount. Some PPAs pay as little as N4,000. Imagine trying to live on N37,000 in this economy,” she lamented.
Another corps member in Osun State decried the hardship caused by the delayed increment, revealing that her monthly expenses exceed N70,000.
“I spend over N12,000 on transportation alone, not to mention feeding and other needs. I had to call my mother for support. The government must act fast,” she said.
Similarly, a corps member serving in Lagos said, “They keep promising N77,000, yet we have not seen anything. How do they expect us to survive on N33,000 with the current economic hardship?”
Efforts to get an official response from NYSC Director of Communication, Carol Embu, were unsuccessful, as she neither answered calls nor responded to messages. However, a senior NYSC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the new allowance has yet to be implemented.
“We are yet to start payment for the new allowance,” the official stated, without providing a timeline for when corps members should expect the increase.
With mounting frustration among corps members, many are now calling on the Federal Government to fulfill its promise without further delays.