In a bid to improve the welfare of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, the Federal Government has announced that it will inject approximately N14 billion into the scheme. The announcement was made by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, at the opening ceremony of the 2023 NYSC annual management conference in Abuja.
Dare commended the NYSC for its role in promoting national unity and urged the top management of the scheme to develop and initiate reforms that would ensure its continued relevance.
He noted that recent events in the country, such as the #EndSARS protest of 2020 and the February 25 presidential election, had highlighted the importance of listening to the demands of young people.
The Minister also revealed that plans were in place to increase the quality of the uniforms of corps members, as well as their allowances for bicycle, feeding, and compensation to staff.
These proposals have already been submitted to the relevant agencies and the Ministry of Finance, with the hope of securing approval for the injection of N14 billion into the NYSC.
In his closing remarks, Dare challenged the NYSC to “think outside the box” and embrace critical reforms that would make the scheme better. He emphasized the need for internal reforms that are sensitive to the needs of the youth population, which constitutes 41% of the voting population.
