A cross-section of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Abia State have lauded the governor, Alex Otti, for increasing their base monthly allowance by 500 per cent.
This follows the government’s announcement last week of the increment from N4,000 to N20,000, marking the first such adjustment in nearly three decades.
The chief press secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, stated this in a release made available to newsmen in Umuahia, the state capital, describing the increase as a welcome development.
The statement also noted that corps members serving as teachers or medical personnel in state establishments would receive an additional discriminatory allowance of N10,000 and N30,000 respectively, to motivate them.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP in Umuahia, Natala Bako, Inyang Okon, Shehu Lere, Bilkisu Ademola, John Nosa, and Ulunma Ibeji expressed gratitude to the governor for the gesture.
They noted that the increment had not only given them a sense of belonging and hope for a brighter future as leaders of tomorrow but would also motivate them to put in their best.
“With this unprecedented gesture, most of us have been going the extra mile to contribute to the development of the state,” Okon said.
Similarly, Lere, who hails from one of the northern states, described the increment as one of the greatest surprises he has experienced during his service year, calling it a huge morale booster.
“Another surprise was the impression I had before coming here that the state was facing serious insecurity. But from all indications, I was wrong, and I’m sorry about that,” he added.
