Nigerian Tweeps Back Sowore’s Call For Immediate Increment Of National Graduate Service Scheme, NYSC From N33,000
The corps members are advocating for a higher allowance, citing the need for more substantial financial support to cater to their living expenses during their service year.
Several National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have taken to social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter), to demand a swift and significant increase in their monthly stipend, currently set at N33,000.
The corps members are advocating for a higher allowance, citing the need for more substantial financial support to cater to their living expenses during their service year.
This call gained momentum after Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, vehemently criticised the current stipend of N33,000, labelling it a ‘slave wage’.
In a statement on Sunday, Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), not only called for an increase in the NYSC monthly stipend but also urged the Nigerian government to make the one-year national service programme optional for graduates, allowing only those interested to participate.
He warned that corps members were on the verge of rejecting this meagre payment and demanded that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration increase their monthly allowance to N250,000.
In the same vein, an X user, PromizChuks lambasted the Nigerian Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu for showing unwillingness to make NYSC members beneficiaries of the newly implemented N70,000 minimum wage.
The X user wrote: “#NYSC saying ‘No order yet to pay Corpers the new 70k #minimum wage’ is quite disturbing. The economy of the country is extremely bad now that even the 70k won’t last a month without support from family and friends. It seems this country enjoys watching youths PROTEST.”
A serving corps member, Olusola said it is extremely difficult for him to eat because of the non-increment of their allowance as expected from the government.
The corps member said, “We can’t even afford 3 square meals a day. I have to wait till around 1pm to have my breakfast so it can sustain me till the evening when I will have my dinner which can either be garri or at best concussion rice. NYSC corpers say no to 33k allowance.”
He added, “You released a memo to threaten us, u took me from Lagos to the north and I didn’t complain, I went there as a patriotic citizen. But u wouldn’t increase the minimum wage despite the huge inflation in the country. We no go gree!!!”
Another corps member, Curious Mind, wrote: “I’m in support of any date we corpers come up with for a nationwide protest. Our government is so wicked? Even that 70k is not enough for a corper especially those in big cities. Note that it has to be before the end of August If not they will still pay that nonsense 33k.”
Another corps member, Oladimeji, wrote: “Is NYSC threatening us?? What the f*** is that memo they just released? They continue to exhibit the character of the military oppressive government. We deserve better.”
Another one who goes by Spacewalker on X wrote: “Copper’s are not slaves for Godsake this government is just inhumane #NYSC. Pay us the minimum wage or scrap the entire NYSC. This is inhuman of Mr. President and the rest of d house of assembly.”
Richesta_damsy wrote: “Funny how the new minimum wage concern NYSC officials but e no concern the real corp members, is that not wickedness?? Ehn @officialnyscng.”
https://x.com/aronvic98/status/1822756418593706462
https://x.com/EneyeYahaya/status/1822750240316989830
https://x.com/RDamsy/status/1822733911979708689
https://x.com/just_raphgreg/status/1822875475896619102
https://x.com/aronvic98/status/1822755745617838311
https://x.com/Kante1260/status/1822741535273726322
https://x.com/PromizChuks/status/1822743928816407021
https://x.com/Asiwaju_Botem01/status/1822749045762453571
https://x.com/RDamsy/status/1822724072020590718
