Niger: Bago rolls out incentives for Corp members

From John Adams, Minna

The Niger State Governor, Rt Hon Umaru Mohammed Bago, on Tuesday, rolled out various incentives for Corps members posted to the state for the year’s Batch B, Stream One service. The event took place at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Paiko, Niger State.

The governor, who was the special guest of honour at the swearing-in of the 1,600 Corps members, approved ₦5 billion for constructing a permanent orientation camp for the NYSC in the state. Niger State has remained without a permanent orientation camp since its creation, with every successive administration paying lip service to its construction. For over 30 years, the NYSC has relied on portions of buildings allocated to it at Government Secondary School, Paiko, as its orientation camp.

Governor Bago said the permanent orientation camp would be completed in one year, adding that he would personally monitor the project closely to ensure its timely completion. In the meantime, he ordered the immediate repairs of all toilet facilities at the camp and directed that five new boreholes be provided to address water scarcity.

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Describing the NYSC as a vehicle for national unity and integration, Bago announced ₦200,000 for each of the 1,600 Corps members to enable them to settle down for the orientation exercise. In addition, he said the Corps members would be given 20 cows and a trailer of rice to enjoy their stay at the orientation camp.

The governor urged the Corps members to engage in entrepreneurship, especially agriculture, during their service and not to rely on the ₦60,000 minimum wage. “All these I have given today is through agriculture. Agriculture is very profitable,” he stressed. “I urge you to acquire a skill today by engaging in entrepreneurship; don’t go and be waiting for ₦60,000 minimum wage after the completion of your service. There is money in agriculture,” he added.

Earlier, the Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim, said the NYSC would partner with the state government in agriculture to boost food production and self-sufficiency. She thanked the governor for providing an enabling environment for Corps members in the state and urged them to be vigilant and avoid unnecessary journeys due to the security challenges in the country.

Also speaking, the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Yushau Garba Ahmed, said Corps members nationwide would soon enjoy a new allowance to cope with the current economic realities. He added, “This will come up after the agreed new minimum wage.”