By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Corps Members have been assured that as soon as the Civil Servants start receiving the new minimum wage that was approved by the Federal Government, their monthly allowance would also increase.
Brigadier General YD Ahmed, NYSC Director General, gave this assurance on Wednesday while addressing Corps Members at Kebbi State Orientation Camp, Dakingari and Sokoto State Orientation Camp in Wamakko.
He said their selfless and immense contributions to the socio-economic development of the country cannot be under-estimated.
General Ahmed also implored them to use the opportunity of the service year to develop themselves and plan for greater heights in future.
Speaking further, he advised the Corps Members to embrace the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme to acquire vocational skills that would make them self-reliant.
“At least learn a skill while in camp and after the Orientation Course, you continue with the post-camp training.Try to acquire a skill that would enable you to create jobs and employ others instead of searching for jobs. We have many Ex-Corps Members across the country who are doing well in their different vocations today”, the DG said.
He added that NYSC Management has partnered many reliable organizations like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry, Unity Bank Access Bank, NNPC Foundation among others, that have been assisting in giving loans and grants to Corps Members.
General Ahmed assured them that the Scheme would not post any Corps Member to a place where their safety is not guaranteed, while he advised them to be security conscious at all times.
While presenting her Camp situation report to the Director General, Kebbi State Coordinator, Mrs Aghata Banki Okolo said a total of 1,195 Corps Members have been registered, comprising of 1,077 for Kebbi and 118 that were dislodged from Zamfara State.
“They are responding positively to all camp activities and instructions. We also have a total number of 240 camp officials that have been applying emotional intelligence in the discharge of their duties”, she added.
Also, the NYSC Sokoto State Coordinator, Alhaji Yakubu Yaro Usman informed General Ahmed that the Corps Members have exhibited high sense of discipline and acclimatized to camp environment with adherence to camp regulations.
He added that the Corps population comprised of 1,488 members made up of 682 males and 606 females for Sokoto State, with 134 males and 66 females that were dislodged from Zamfara State.