Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
The Kebbi State office of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has expressed concern over the rejection of corps members, non-payment of their monthly stipends, lack of accommodations for them and issuance of clearances to undeserving corps members in the state.
State Coordinator of the NYSC, Alhaji Lawal Turawa, who stated this on Wednesday, during a day workshop for corps members’ employers titled, “Tackling Emerging challenges in Youth Corps Administration through greater NYSC/Stakeholders”, noted that as a long serving staff of the scheme, he realised the problems have become a recurring decimal.
“From my experience as a state Coordinator and a long serving staff of NYSC, some issues have becoming recurring decimal in the working relationship between Corps employers and Corps members which need to be analysed and addressed urgently.
“These issues includes; under-utilisation of corps members, corpers’ rejection, evasion of service, lack of motivation to hardworking and more productive members, non-provision of accommodation for Corps members, employers connivance with Corps members to evade service.
“We also have delayed in issuance of monthly clearance letter to deserving Corps members,issuance of clearance letter to undeserving Corps members, open favouritism by Corps employers especially towards female Corps members,lack of respect to Corps members, non payment of stipends among others”.
Turawa urged employers at the workshop to show more interest in the welfare of Corps members posted to their offices saying ” if you want them to be effective on their job,show a little concern about their welfare”.
While responding, the Chairman NYSC state governing board who is also Kebbi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Abubakar Imam Besse noted that despite the nation’s economic recession, employers of Corps members must continue to discharge their responsibilities.
“It is true that the nation is passing through very hard and challenging period of economic down turn,but, if we remain focused and committed,we shall overcome this situation . As employers of these young men and women,it is our responsibilities to provide suitable accommodation, allowances and if possible, means of transportation for them.”