Our reporter
The Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has revealed plans to submit a memo to President Bola Tinubu, mandating all government agencies and parastatals to cease rejecting corps members assigned to them for the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Olawande made this disclosure during a press conference in Abuja on Monday, addressing concerns about the rejection of corps members despite the Federal Government’s recent directive lifting the ban on their posting to private sector organisations.
The Federal Government had on November 19, 2024, rescinded the restriction that confined corps members to public sector assignments. The new policy allows postings to private organizations, including banks and oil and gas companies, expanding opportunities for young graduates.
The minister emphasised that the ministry had already sent directives to the NYSC to ensure corps members face no barriers in their postings. He acknowledged on-going instances of rejections by some agencies but reassured that measures were underway to address the issue.
“Let them post them first, then we would tackle the rejection,” Olawande stated. “In the memo to NYSC, we clearly stated that there is no barrier. Before now, there was a barrier that corps members could not be posted to certain places. Banks come and take them. If you don’t have experience in banking, how do you want to know that you are good at accounting or whatever? This is also part of how you learn what you studied.”
He further explained that the planned memo to President Tinubu would reinforce compliance across all government bodies. “It is a process; we can’t do everything at once. The one in our capacity, we have thrown it out. On the barrier, we are also waiting. We will work, and that is why teamwork is good,” he added.
On the delay in implementing the N77,000 increased monthly allowance for corps members, the minister assured that the process was in its final stages. “It is not rocket science. It has been increased; nobody is saying it has not been increased. But the implementation is in process. Very soon, we are at the tip of it. It is going to start, and we will implement it perfectly,” Olawande affirmed.
The minister’s statements provide hope for corps members facing rejection in their postings and those eagerly awaiting the implementation of the increased allowance.
As the government continues to address these challenges, young Nigerians look forward to a more inclusive and supportive NYSC experience.
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