2, 057 corp members pass out without state allowance in Nasarawa

ABOUT two thousand and fifty-seven (2,057) Batch A stream ll of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Nasarawa state passed out without receiving monthly allowances for the duration stay in service year.

Mrs Zainab Isah, the state NYSC Coordinator, who confirmed the development to newsmen in Lafia on Thursday after conducting a low key passing out parade.

Isah said the development was disappointing giving the fact that efforts have been made in the past by both management of NYSC and the state government to ensure that corp members in the state were not deprived of their state allowances.

“I can confirm that this batch of corp members passing out today have not been paid their state allowances but we are still talking to the state government to see what can be done.

“We have their account numbers which we use in paying their federal allowances. We will compile their names and send to the state government with the hope that even after they have left, their allowances will be paid to them,” she said.

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Isah added that efforts will be made to interact with the state governor, Alhaji Umaru Al-Makura with a view to drawing his attention to non-payment of allowances of corp members in the state and other issues affecting the scheme.

“We will continue to talk to the state governor, whom we know is passionate about the plight of corp members and hopefully he will do something about it. He will listen to us,” She said.

The Nasarawa state NYSC Coordinator revealed that out of 2,060 corp members in the state, 2,057 successfully passed out with three expected to face an extension of service for various offences committed during the service year.

“We passed out a total of 2,057 corp members. It is just three of them that have disciplinary cases depending on the level of offences they committed. Two corp members will be given the state coordinator’s recommendation letter,” she said.

In an interview with newsmen, Mr Solomon Enyita, one of the Batch A Stream II Corp member who served under the Nasarawa state Ministry of Education said since he relocated from Adamawa to Nasarawa state, no state allowance has been paid to him and corp members in his set.

“Since I came from Adamawa to this state around July last year, no single allowance has been paid. We complained and even staged a protest but nothing has changed. But we hope they will do something about it,” He said.

Responding to the issue of state allowances, Mr Eche Amos, Public Relations Officer who spoke on behalf of Mr Bamaiyi Anagba, the Commissioner of Youth and Sports who is also the Chairman, NYSC Governing Board in the state also confirmed that state allowances of corp members have not been paid.

Amos who apologised for the delay, however, explained that modalities were been put in place to ensure that all corp members serving under the state government in the state get their state allowances.

“The state government is looking towards it. The state government is doing a lot to ensure that even the ones that have served will be attended to. But discussions are still ongoing between the ministry of youth and sports, the state government and the management of NYSC in Nasarawa state,” He said.