FG Earmarked N500 Daily Feeding Money for NYSC Members

The Federal Government has earmarked the sum of N500 for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as allowance for daily feeding, Leadership reports.

File Photo of Corps Members

The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Johnson Bamidele Olawumi, made this known on Wednesday, at the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition investigative public hearing on the N4, 000 online registration fee imposed on prospective corps members by the corps.

The revelation followed the protest made by a civil society coalition known as ‘Say No Campaign’ who dragged the corps before the Uzor Azubike-led House committee.
Brigadier Olawumi, who responded to the petition by blaming poor welfare of the corp members, revealed that the Federal Government approved N500 as feeding allowance for each corp member per day to improve their welfare.

The NYSC director general further hinted that over N800 million was needed to start the computer registration system the corps is currently using for its online registration. He said the fees will service a private sector driven build, operate and transfer agreement.

Brigadier Olawumi, said the registration equipment will be installed at NYSC offices nationwide, adding that the process was approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement with a certificate of no objection.

He pointed out that the N4, 000 online registration fees is voluntary, explaining that instead of requesting for money to install the infrastructure, he would prefer to canvass for increment of the current N19,800 allowance being paid to prospective Corp member.
Speaking also, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu of ‘Say No Campaign’ requested for the reversal of the proposed N4, 000 online fees and where such payment has been made, a refund should be made to he corp members.

He also called for a review of the laws establishing the NYSC that seems to have made the Director General of the Corp an exclusive preserve of serving military officers.

It would be recalled that on September 30, 2014, federal lawmakers commenced an inquest into the controversial N4, 000 online registration fee and consequently urged NYSC to suspend the policy.