AdminAs the gale of cash gifts to young graduates participating in the yearly National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme continues in different parts of Nigeria, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has noted that such gestures are a collective vote of confidence in the durable and continuous relevance of the institution of the NYSC scheme.
“These gifts are a general testament of the confidence, trust and passionate love of millions of Nigerians for the NYSC to continue to expand and provide opportunities of skills acquisition for the benefits of young scholars just out of the tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria.”
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHURIWA in a media statement signed by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated that in 51 years of its existence, the NYSC has become one of the surest beacons of assured hope and one of the rarest National institutions established for the sole purpose of promoting and upholding the principles of national unity and integration of the divergent ethno-religious communities that constitute the federation of Nigeria even as the Rights group emphasised the need for the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to sign into law the NYSC Youths Trust Fund to further expand and mainstream skills acquisition in the NYSC to promote economic growth and advancement of Nigerian youngsters.
“We in the organised civil Rights community in the country, have observed with profound joy and excitement as different political leaders across all spectrum have continued to shower cash and material gifts to NYSC corps members drafted to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.”
The rights group specifically praised the encouraging and kind cash gifts extended to corps members in different states of the federation by governors. HURIWA also commended state governments that have prioritised maintaining functional and formidable structures dedicated for the use of the NYSC as orientation camps in line with the statutory provisions that set up the NYSC.
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HURIWA recalled that recently, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, gifted N100,000 to each NYSC member leaving the State’s orientation camp.
The governor announced this during his address as the special guest of honour at the NYSC Passing-Out Parade/Closing Ceremony for the 2024 Batch ‘B’ Stream I Corps Members, held at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Iyana Ipaja on Tuesday.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also announced a N5bn pledge towards the construction of a permanent site for the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in the state as well as a sum of N100 million for the NYSC support staff.
The Rights group highlighted that recently, the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Iormen Alia, assured that medical corps members in the state will continue to get One Hundred thousand Naira (N100,000.00) as state allowance in addition to their N33,000 federal allowance.
He added that non-medical corps members will continue to receive N15,000 as state allowance in addition to their N33,000 federal allowance.
The Governor, represented by the Chairman of the NYSC State Governing Board and Commissioner of Youths and Sports Development, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange, gave the assurance during his address at the official closing ceremony of the Orientation Course exercise, at NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area of the State.
HURIWA recalled that the governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State had recently disclosed that the state government will commit N5 billion to the construction of the permanent orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps in the state.
He also announced a gift of N200,000 to all the corps members under Batch B Stream I posted to the state as “bonus” to make their stay comfortable, in addition to 20 cows and a trailer load of rice.
The governor declared this during the recent swearing-in of the 2024 Batch B Stream I corps members at the NYSC orientation camp in Paiko, Niger State.
Bago said: “All corps members serving in Niger State today are entitled to a N200,000 bonus from Niger farms.
“So, each of you has N200,000; I understand you’re about 1,600. So we are going to credit your account with N200,000. This is to give you comfort to stay in Niger State.
HURIWA has therefore encouraged governors of the 36 states and the minister of the FCT to prioritise the well-being and welfare of corps members deployed to their states for their primary assignments just as the Rights group called on the security forces to maintain tight security around the camps of the NYSC to safeguard them from attacks by bandits.
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