Should We Be Happy? NYSC Pays Up Finally

Corps members protesting delay in payment of allowance

About 200 corps members that were yet to be paid their April federal allowance in Akwa Ibom State finally received alerts yesterday, 28^th May, 2013 from their various banks confirming that their accounts have been credited.

As reported earlier, those affected were corps members that registered with these banks: Eco, Diamond and Sterling Bank. After a protest like visit to the secretariat on the 20^th of May, 2013, some affected corps members who registered with Eco Bank got paid the following day. The NYSC did not officially give reason for the delay, neither was there an apology.

After several unsuccessful attempts to report the situation to the ‘oga at the top’, I decided, on Monday, the 27^th day of May 2013, to send an email instead:

Text of the Mail:

Sir! I'm writing this to inform you that as at this morning 10:05am, the 27th day of May 2013, about 150 batch A corps members serving in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State are yet to receive their last month (April) federal allowance. I've personally reported this issue to the accounts department in Uyo several times. Those affected are members who registered with Diamond and sterling banks in Uyo. I’ll be very delighted if this distress mail is given speedy attention. Thank you sir!

The following day I received a reply, read the text below:

NYSC replies:

“For speedy response lets have the details of the claimed 150 corps members yet to be paid.”

Text of my response:

I'm sorry sir/ma, compiling the details of about 150 corps members yet unpaid may not be an easy task. In my ppa alone, 12 of us have not been paid, so it’s logical to assume that figure. And I want to believe that the Accounts department has not denied the knowledge of this situation. This mail is just to draw your attention to it. Affected corps members are living as beggars, some can't even afford to feed once a day. For some, the situation is worse. Even those that were paid are out of cash already, now, imagine the situation of those that were not. I really appreciate your reply sir/ma. Thanks.

 

We hope this kind of delay in payment of Corps members allowance will not repeat itself.