The Management of the National Youth Service Corps has insisted that the increase of corps members’ allowance, following the approval of a new minimum wage of N70,000 for workers, will be determined by the Federal Government.
The acting Director of the Information and Public Relations unit of the NYSC, Caroline Embu, made this known to our correspondent on Tuesday.
Recall that President Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill of N70,000 into law on July 29, 2024, following weeks of negotiations with the leadership of the organised labour.
Following the approval of the minimum wage, speculations had risen about the new pay for corps members, with some claiming to have received a directive to increase the capacity of their bank accounts to be able to receive above N50,000.
The supposed message read: “Most of the corps members’ accounts opened in the camp cannot take more than N50,000 at once. All corps members are advised to visit their various banks and confirm that their account can take or receive more than N70,000.”
However, the NYSC had released a statement stating that the purported message was “absolutely falsehood.”
“The attention of National Youth Service Corps management has been drawn to misleading information circulating in the media regarding payment of N70,000 minimum wage to corps members and the directive to upgrade their accounts. This is an absolute falsehood which is far from the truth.
“Corps members, parents and members of the public should note that no directive has been received from the relevant sector of government responsible for wages matters. It is, therefore, impossible for the NYSC to issue any information on such,” a statement, signed by the former Director Information and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, read.
However, asked on Tuesday if the scheme was currently negotiating a new pay for corps members, the acting spokesperson reiterated that the review of the allowance was in the hands of the Federal Government, and not the NYSC, noting that there was currently no change in corps members’ allowances.
“I don’t know how much the Federal Government will pay the corps members, I cannot tell you that for sure right now, because it is a decision of the Federal Government, not the NYSC. The only thing I can tell you now is that when the Federal Government increases the minimum wage, the corps members are expected to enjoy an increase in their allowance too, just like the DG said,” she said.