The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has addressed concerns regarding implementing the recently approved N77,000 monthly allowance for corps members, clarifying that the increase has yet to take effect.

This statement follows reports that corps members still received the previous allowance of N33,000 in September despite approving the higher sum.

In a press release issued by Caroline Embu, Acting Director of Information and Public Relations for the NYSC, the agency noted that the increase was announced in line with the Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 and was supposed to take effect in July 2024. However, delays from the Federal Government have affected the rollout.

“Everything is a process,” Embu explained during a conversation with SaharaReporters. “After making the pronouncement, the government has to work on it to be able to pay. It is not as if it is automatic.”

Corps members were reportedly disappointed when their September allowance remained N33,000 instead of the newly promised N77,000.

An anonymous corps member said, “They have not paid, but the people around me who were paid got 33k (N33,000) instead of the N77,000 promised.”

Embu emphasized that the NYSC is not responsible for processing the payments, which fall under the Federal Government’s purview.

She reiterated that there is no clear timeline for the increase, saying, “I can’t say if it is going to be implemented this month (October). Just like everybody is waiting for the minimum wage, we are also waiting.”

The delay has raised concerns among corps members, many of whom were expecting the increased allowance to be of immediate benefit.