Some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Lagos yesterday expressed joy over the increase in the monthly allowance paid those serving in the scheme.

In separate interviews with newsmen, the corps members, however, pleaded with the Federal Government to put them under an insurance policy.

Apart from corps members frequently dying in road accidents or natural causes away from home, 10 of them were murdered in the North during the post election violence in April.

They described the increment as a good development, especially now that the least paid worker in the country is expected to take home a minimum of N18,000 a month.

Our correspondent reports that the monthly remuneration of the Corp members was increased from N9,700 to N19,800 by the Federal Government.

Most of the corps members were, however, of the view that more was still needed to be done in the area of their security and welfare.

Mr Tafida Mundi, 23, said that most corps members were overwhelmed by the increment, but would want government to put them under an insurance policy and find other ways of making the one-year compulsory national service more interesting.

“Everybody is happy over the new allowance— both members in orientation camp and serving members. We have been dancing since the announcement yesterday.

“We want government to introduce real insurance policy for members; we need a lasting solution to the issue of security among corps members,’’ he said.

He added: “Last night, we got news that a corps member was hit by a stray bullet somewhere in Ewekoro, Ogun state during an armed robbery attack and he died on the spot.

“We want a lasting solution; we don’t want to go to NYSC service and come back dead, we want to be alive for our parents,“ he said.

Mundi noted that some members were now afraid to wear the NYSC uniform, which used to be a thing of pride in the past.

Miss Omolara Jokodola, 24 , said that corps members were serving their fatherland and should be given more encouragement.

She pointed out that many of them were now afraid due to the crisis which claimed the lives of 10 members in April.

“We thanked Mr President for increasing our monthly allowance but we want him to insure our lives.

“Am happy for the new pay, it is a change from the usual way of doing things. I thought government will drag their feet with the corps members the way they are dragging the minimum wage with workers.

“But it is not enough, Nigeria is not a fair country, I don’t see why corps members should be receiving the same allowance like the cleaners and gardeners,’’ she said.

Jokodola said that for the fact that corps members were serving the government and any risk they were exposed to during the service year should be the responsibilities of the government and not theirs.

Miss Goldie Osuaewu, 24 , said that it was a good thing that their allowance had been increased because corps members were facing a lot of risks.

“The increment is okay but, not enough compared to the level of insecurity around us. We want government, the NYSC and the states we are serving to assure us that we are save for our parents.

“A lot of corps members died during the last post-election crisis in the country. So, I think government should do more for us, he said.

Meanwhile, Youth corps members are now to receive 19,800.00 as allowance with effect from March 2011, the Director-General of the  National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. Maharazu Tsiga, has announced

Tsiga made this known in Abuja on Monday during a visit by a team from Barry University, Miami, Florida and Africans in Diaspora Partnership.

Our correspondent  recalls that the NYSC members were receiving 9,775.00 before now, while President Goodluck Jonathan had in his 2010 campaign tour, promised the increase.

According to Tsiga, the allowance of the NYSC members will be paid in arrears, to include the 2010 Batch ‘B’ members, who finished their service year on July 7.

Tsiga expressed his happiness with President Goodluck Jonathan, for considering the plight of the corps members, stating that the scheme would work hard to realise its objective.

He also  expressed satisfaction with the visit of the team, stating that it was timely, as seven youth corps members were successful in the Entrepreneurs competition organised by the Africans in Diaspora Partnership.

“I can assure you that the resources expended in the training and empowerment of the seven entrepreneurs have not been wasted since all of them are doing very well.

“Indeed, we see in them great potentials for wealth and job creation in the near future, that is why we are looking forward to greater and expanded opportunities for more corps members as talents abound in the scheme,’’ Tsiga said.

He said that the contribution of NYSC members underscored national relevance of the scheme, adding that the scheme would ensure that the gains were not lost to the threat of post-service unemployment.

According to Tsiga, the agencies which partnered with the scheme on skills acquisition are the Central Bank of Nigeria, National Directorate of Employment and the MDGs Office.

Earlier, Mr Adewale Alonge, leader of the delegation, had praised the scheme for its foresight and readiness to ensure that NYSC members were well equipped to stand on their feet, without looking for government employment after the scheme.

“Nigeria is a great country but we always hear the bad news and there are people in this country that are doing great things and that is why we still believe in the country.

“We believe with every single cell in our body in the future of this great country, and the whole world and Africans in Diaspora look up to Nigeria as a leader and we cannot afford to fail them,’’ Alonge said.