The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has assured that corps members who recently completed their service will not be excluded from receiving the newly approved N77,000 monthly allowance.
According to The PUNCH, Nafiu said the Federal Government remains committed to honoring its financial obligations to all corps members, including those who have just concluded their service year.
“The government is conscious of its promise. Once funds are released to us, we will pay the arrears. Even those who have just passed out will benefit. We already have their bank details and will credit them accordingly,” he said.
The assurance follows the Federal Government’s recent rollout of the new minimum wage allowance to serving corps members, nearly eight months after President Bola Tinubu signed the wage bill into law.
Nafiu emphasized that the NYSC is awaiting cash backing for the arrears before disbursements can be made.
“Nigerians should not worry. The government is responsible and responsive. It will fulfill its commitments,” he added.
Also addressing stakeholders at the event, the Director of Corps Mobilisation, Mohammed Abubakar, raised concerns about ongoing irregularities in the mobilisation process.
He revealed that some tertiary institutions have been submitting names of unqualified individuals for national service.
“Despite the progress we’ve made in recent years, the fraudulent uploading of unqualified graduates remains a serious concern. We must tackle this head-on,” Abubakar said.
He stressed the need for institutions to uphold integrity in the mobilisation process, describing it as critical to the success and credibility of the NYSC scheme.
“We must be vigilant and proactive. The NYSC mobilisation process is too important to be compromised,” he added.
In his remarks, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, called for a comprehensive reform of the NYSC scheme to reflect current realities and better prepare Nigerian graduates for the evolving job market.
“The NYSC was created in 1973 for a specific purpose. Today, society has changed, and so must the scheme,” Olawande said.
He urged stakeholders to collaborate in reshaping the programme to be more inclusive, practical, and aligned with the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Reforming the NYSC is not solely the responsibility of the government. We must all work together to build a scheme that serves our youth and the future of Nigeria,” he concluded.
