Amaechi Flays FG’s Slow Response To NYSC Problems

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi has slammed the Federal Government’s non-chalance to the plight of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Rivers State.
Amaechi particularly addressed the Federal Government’s reluctance to solve the issue of accommodation and other challenges faced by corps members in the state.
The governor spoke yesterday, during a courtesy call on him by members of the National Governing Board of the NYSC led by Tijani Adekanbi, at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Among other issues, Amaechi said the Federal Government has consistently failed to address most NYSC challenges, leaving them all to the state to handle, in spite of the fact that the scheme is the responsibility of the Federal Government.
”I don’t know if you realise that NYSC is a federal scheme. If you know it’s a federal scheme, why are you transferring responsibility to the state government? Even the allowances we are paying, we are not supposed to pay. I served in Abuja, nobody paid me one dime outside what the Federal Government paid us as allowance. The vehicles the youth service was using in Abuja were bought by the Federal Government. Why then do we transfer Federal Government’s responsibility to the states?” Amaechi asked.
He said, “We are virtually funding all federal agencies in the state. If we don’t want NYSC then we should say we don’t want NYSC, but it solves a lot of problems for us and when I say us, I mean the nation, including the fact that it creates temporary employment for corps members for one year.
”But the most important thing is that the Federal Government should stand and take over their responsibilities, because at the end of the day, we would all go to the Federation Account meeting and everybody will take their own share; and then they transfer their responsibility to us. The reason for which they get their own share is because the constitution recognizes their responsibilities and gives them their percentage of the money. So, you can take the money, not transfer part of that money to us, and then you transfer your responsibility?
”I am not saying we would not assist NYSC, we have always done that but what I am saying is that most of these responsibilities are Federal Government responsibilities. So, when you finish addressing me, please go and address the Director General of the NYSC board to simply ask the Federal Government to make funds available to you or to the NYSC,” Amaechi said.
Earlier, Leader of the delegation, Tijani Adekambi said they were in Rivers State to inspect facilities at the State NYSC orientation camp and address welfare issues for corps members serving in the State.

Rivers State Governor,Chibuike Amaechi welcoming leader of the Governing Board delegation, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Tijani Adekambi when members of the Board paid a courtesy call on the governor at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.