NYSC Corps Members Face N77,000 Pay Delay: How Funding Woes Impact Livelihoods

Abuja The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has explained the delay in implementing the enhanced monthly payment for corps members by pointing to financial difficulties.

Corps members are still receiving the previous stipend in spite of the Federal Government's approval of the increase in allowance from ?33,000 to ?77,000 in July 2024 and promises that payments would start in February 2025. This is causing annoyance in light of Nigeria's growing cost of living.

In an interview with Vanguard in Abuja on Wednesday, Carol Embu, the NYSC's Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, discussed the matter.

She clarified that the program is actively seeking financial support for the increase in allowance, but she emphasized that the procedure calls for patience and careful consideration.

Embu added that Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, the recently appointed NYSC Director-General, is still getting to know the situation. Although she was unable to give a precise date for when payments would start, she reassured corps members that the NYSC is making every effort to address the problem.

Although she acknowledged that the Minister in charge of the NYSC has more information, she assured the public that updates will be provided as soon as clarification was obtained.

“We’re pursuing the financial support right now; that’s what’s going on,” she said. A new Director-General has recently taken office and is still getting to know the situation. We'll have to wait and see what happens in the upcoming weeks.

"I promise you that the NYSC is aggressively pursuing this matter, but I am unable to provide a precise start date for the payments. A while back, the minister also spoke about this issue. Because he is in charge of our operations, it is crucial to remember that the minister has access to information that we might not. Don't worry, I'll let you know as soon as we have a clear idea of when the payments will start. We're still waiting on more information.

Since the previous stipend is often regarded as insufficient to cover basic needs, the organization admitted that the delay has left many corps members having to deal with financial difficulties.

However, as corps members continue to hope for a speedy resolution to lighten their financial difficulties, important stakeholders continue to demand quick action to address the funding challenges and assure the early implementation of the agreed allowance increase.