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NYSC Members Happy, Task FG On Security
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.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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