The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has assured that Corps members will soon start enjoying the N70,000 new minimum wage.

Particularly, the Corps promised that as soon as civil servants start receiving the new minimum wage recently approved by the Federal Government, their monthly allowance would also increase.

The Guardian reports that the current monthly allowance (Alawee) for NYSC Corps members is N33,000, paid by the Federal Government.

In a statement by the Acting Director, Information and Public Relations of NYSC, Caroline Embu, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, gave this assurance while addressing Corps Members at the Kebbi State Orientation Camp in Dakingari and the Sokoto State Orientation Camp in Wamakko.

He said their selfless and immense contributions to the socio-economic development of the country cannot be underestimated.

General Ahmed also implored them to use the opportunity of the service year to develop themselves and plan for greater heights in the 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 the NYSC Management has partnered with many reliable organisations, such as 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 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 who 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 a high sense of discipline and acclimatised to the camp environment with adherence to camp regulations.

He added that the Corps population comprised 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.