About 26 states are yet to pay a backlog of allowances to serving and completed youth corps members. Some of these states owe such corps members up to two years of unpaid allowances.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi, who stated this yesterday in Katsina State, described the situation as disheartening and a challenge to the scheme.
Olawumi disclosed this during the opening ceremony of NYSC 2016 Batch ‘A’ Pre-Orientation Workshop at the conference hall of the state secretariat. He said failure by states to pay monthly allowance to corps members didn’t portray a good image, as the allowance was a statutory responsibility.
He said with continued neglect to pay such allowance, the scheme may have no option than to bring to public attention states that are defaulting on the matter. “I wish to once again appeal to the state governments to passionately consider the welfare of corps members in their employ by ensuring prompt payment of their state allowances for transport and accommodation.
“As at today, about 26 states owe corps members’ state allowance, with some owing as much as two years. “This does not portray a good image of the states involved as corps members’ welfare provision is a statutory responsibility of the state governments. “The scheme may have no choice than to bring to public attention such states,” he added.
The DG said another issue facing smooth operation of the scheme was the rejection of corps members by employers. Johnson said rather than reject corps members, “employers should utilise the services provided them to add value to their operations in order to achieve their mandates.”
He lamented appalling condition of some orientation camps, even as he called on state governments to pay “more attention to provision and maintenance” of camps in their states. Governor Aminu Bello Masari, represented by his deputy, Mannir Yakubu, expressed commitment to giving priority to the welfare of corps members. National Mirror
