Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Director-General National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brid-Gen Ibrahim Shauibu, has reassured serving and prospective corps members that they will benefit from the Federal Government’s N30,000 new national minimum wage.
He gave the assurance on the sideline of opening ceremony of the meeting between the NYSC management and representatives of the state governments in Abuja on Tuesday, announcing that they were waiting for further directives from the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed.
“As the Minister of Youths had announced, until further details are given to us by the Minister of Finance, I want to assure that just as the minister said, the corps members will also benefit from the national minimum wage.
“We are going to commence the payment as directed by the Federal Government. I spoke to my corps members when I visit Jigawa recently and I assured them that they will also benefit from the minimum wage and they were very excited that they started praying for the president and the Federal Government for the magnanimity, saying it will engender them to perform more.
“Once they commence that of the civil servants, of cause the corps members will also benefit; it is tied down to the minimum wage. Once the Federal Government commences the payment. The most important thing is that they have also benefitted from the minimum wage,” he assured.
Earlier in his speech, he had while explaining the motive behind the meeting said: “This meeting is convened by the management of the scheme in furtherance of our commitment to the success of the NYSC mandate.
“It is particularly in line with one of the cardinal points of my policy thrust, which is to strengthen existing collaboration with critical stakeholders. Suffice it to note that foremost among our stakeholders are states and local governments whose roles are critical to the smooth operations of the scheme.
“This is due to the fact that most of the NYSC activities through which it contributes to national development are undertaken at the grassroots. Today, I am pleased to report that a good number of state governments and the FCT administration have been above board in the discharge of their obligations to the scheme.
“The standard of facilities at orientation camps, quality of accommodation for corps members and other forms of intervention in the affected states are encouraging. The conducive environment they are creating have not only enhanced the smooth operations of the scheme, but also deepened corps members’ belief in the essence of patriotic service,” he said.