NYSC urges corps employers to provide welfare package for corps members

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has urged corps employers to ensure that they provide adequate welfare packages for corps members posted to their organisations.

The task was given by the Director-General (DG) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, in Uyo on Wednesday.

Ibrahim, who was represented by Mrs Jane Okpongette, Assistant Director of NYSC said in his keynote address during the 2021 Corps Employers’ Workshop.

Ibrahim noted that the workshop was an avenue for the exchange of ideas on the improvement of the scheme operations across the country. 

According to him, corps employers were expected to make some statutory welfare provisions for the corps members posted to them.

The DG reminded corps employers of the existing circular prohibiting the -rejection of corps members by Government Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

He urged corps employers to always make adequate budgetary provisions for the welfare of corps members rather than rejecting them.

“Since the inception of the Scheme, the NYSC Management/Corps Employers’ Forum has enabled both parties to continually enhance our capacity for effective engagement of corps members.

“We are thus able to position the young men and women on National Service as change agents and key contributors to the development of the country.

“This forum will also obtain feedback from the strategic stakeholders on the strength, weaknesses and potentials of the scheme as well as chart ways of strengthening its operations.

“In the course of primary assignment, which is the second phase of the Service, employers are expected to make some statutory welfare provisions for the corps members, ” Ibrahim said.

The DG warned corps employers against aiding and abating absenteeism and abscondment of corps members, stressing that employers found wanting would be penalised.

He urged corps employers to encourage corps members towards accessing quality post-camp training to enable them to actualise their business dreams.

Earlier, the Akwa Ibom Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Chinyere Ekwe, in her remarks, charged the corps employers to come up with ideas that would proffer solutions to the challenges confronting corps administration.

Ekwe, who was also represented by Okpongette, charged corps employers to leverage on the opportunity provided by the workshop to express the difficulties experienced in managing corps members posted to them.

She commended some corps employers for their efforts towards meeting the welfare needs of corps members and urged others to follow suit.

Our correspondent reports that the theme of the 2021 workshop is: “Optimising the NYSC/Corps Employers Partnership for National Development in the Context of the New Normal.”