30,000 minimum wage not enough for youth corpers – Don

Tina Amanda

As the National Youth Service Corps members (NYSC) get set to receive the proposed thirty thousand naira allowance based on the new minimum wage, a political Analyst in the state has described the move as timely.

An associate professor in Political Science Department, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Dr Kenneth Nweke, who stated this to our reporter Tina Amanda, stressed that government should not only address the remuneration issue of the fresh graduates but also address the urgent need of providing them with lasting succour after their service year.

He noted that the allowance increment which is temporal will only help to address some of the harsh economic challenges corpers go through while carrying out the mandatory service across the nation.

“The thirty thousand (30,000) naira proposed to pay is not enough to carry them for a month, doing something that will at least add more money to their pocket will help them more as young graduates. The new minimum wage allowance will help to take care of their stay for the period they are serving the nation. If it is implemented, it goes a long way in eliminating the suffering of the youth corps members”

Dr Nweke, however, urged the government to do better than just to add monetary value, but take steps further to create employment opportunities that will help the youth corpers become better citizens, adding that thousands of Nigerian youths graduate every year from institutions abroad and at home.

“Giving them more money is okay but beyond that, they need good jobs after serving their fatherland, so the federal government should not only address the issue of increment based on the new minimum wage but address the issue of creating employment opportunities for these teeming youth. It is time the state, local government, organisation, institutions begin to make efforts towards creating jobs in the country in order to take away these young youths from the street.

“The new minimum wage is just solving problem temporally, yet leaving them to face more problems in the long run. Check how many graduands produced yearly, where will they be fixed, what does the future hold for these ones, is the environment conducive to making the best out of them”