The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that outgoing corps members will receive arrears for the N77,000 minimum wage allowance, following the signing of the minimum wage bill into law by President Bola Tinubu.
NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, reassured corps members that the government is committed to fulfilling its promise, stating, “Once funds are released to us to offset the arrears, we will pay them.
Even our Corps members that passed out recently will benefit. Once we receive cash backing for the arrears, we are going to credit them; we have their bank details.”
The payment of the N77,000 allowance, which began last month, comes after an eight-month delay since the law was enacted.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, emphasized the need for reforms within the NYSC to adapt to the evolving demands of the Nigerian job market.
He remarked, “We must therefore reform the scheme to meet our changing society. As Nigeria improves, we must continue to improve the scheme to meet demands.”
Additionally, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, represented by Abdullahi Suleiman, assured that the FCT administration would continue to support the NYSC in achieving its goals during the service year.
The NYSC’s commitment to addressing arrears and reforming the scheme reflects ongoing efforts to improve the program’s relevance and effectiveness in preparing graduates for the workforce.