Oyo State To Increase Corps Members Allowance

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo has promised to increase the monthly allowance of corps members serving in the southwest state from N5,000 to N15,000.

Makinde gave the assurance on Thursday when he visited the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp at Iseyin.

“We visited the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp at Iseyin this evening. I assured the youth corps members that we would address the issues raised by the Commandant about the state of the camp,” the governor tweeted on his official handle. “I also told them we would increase their allowance from N5,000 to N15,000.”

While recalling his experiences during the one-year mandatory programme, the Oyo governor lauded the NYSC for building bridges of unity in Nigeria.

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“I also shared with them how it was during my national youth service in Port-Harcourt that I got a job and met and married my lovely wife, Ominini Makinde,” he explained. “So, I am an example of how the national youth service could foster national integration. I wished them the best for the future.”

This is coming amidst calls for the scrapping of the NYSC scheme, following a move by a federal lawmaker, Awaji-Inombek Abiante on a bill to repeal the National Youth Service Corps Act due to security challenges facing the country.

But, Makinde’s position corroborated that of the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim who on Wednesday called on Nigerians to shun division and embrace unity by letting the spirit of the scheme continue.