I obediently directed my steps into a Maybach Exelero car immediately after the three weeks National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp passed off. The comfort of the car and smooth ride could only instill a relaxation in my nerves as I stared admirably at the courteous lunch which these officially dressed and good looking young men provided for me. At this point in the journey I could only consume the sumptuous meal while accessing the inner design of the car where the young men at one time in the journey made it clear to me that they were conveying me to an exorbitant hotel where I will relax ably spend a night then the next morning they will also drive me to my Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) as directed.
I never wanted to leave the hotel the following morning because of the remarkable as well as enthusiastic experience I had with the spirits and models as this was my feeling while sitting in the car en route my PPA. Later I got a bank alert stating “Credit Alert ; Acc N:004*****37, Amt: NGN 250,000, Date: June 31, 2020 at 11:01, EC. 2020 Batch B, NRA: CBN8, Balance N250,000”. Yei! Was the voice from my intrapersonal exclamation where my stare was that of astonishment as my face was dismantled by a spontaneous grin leading to a show off of my facial caricature, but my elation was suddenly regulated by a calm ushering voice stating “Please sir, you may alight, the General Manager is waiting to meet with you”.
What I was most interested in on the form presented to me during the meeting was not only my hopeful office; well equipped with play station 9 and computer/air conditioner, the one week in a month leave, a rented flat for me and a Maybach Exelero car for me, but was the part of the induction letter that stated … “You will be paid extra N250,000 by this organization” on the instant I burst into uncontrolled enthusiasm shouting: truly change has come for corps members, hurray! That was when I woke up from the dream.
The dream was not the first of it kind but the reality in it. I never dreamt to wake up because of the suspense in it. Can I resolve that it was fostered by hangover of liquor consumed during a spent time with friends in a lido? Should I relate it to the enthusiasm developed after a chitchat with my immediate carrying younger brother? Ok, I will settle for the attribution to be an optimism concerning the increment of corps members’ monthly Federal Government allowance (Alawi) which was promised by President Muhammadu Buhari during his presidential campaign in 2014. Also the dream was un avoidably ensured by the worrisome and uncouth treatment exerted to serving corps members by some Places of Primary Assignment (PPA).
So, I will first take a peck on the issue of accommodation problem facing corps members. The treatment sometimes give to innocent corps members is alarming as well as devastating. It has since over the years waded into the psychological/physiological and philosophical normalcy of these corps members, thereby ravaging on the expected production by the corps members. How do some personels in some organizations feel when a strange corps member gets stranded or homeless in a big city or an interior village, just because of the recklessness of a PPA who had failed to provide accommodation to her? To the corps member, his/her lack of personal security and safe keep of clothing possession which may have to be carried all the time  during the period of lack of accommodation.
Some PPA who plume themselves on promise of the provision of accommodation eventually provide to the loyal servicemen an accommodation that eventually they could write a one page essay of regret and disgust on. Also, where some corps members are provided with an accommodation that is very distant from their PPA, they sympathetically end up spending approximately N30,000 just to be attendant in the office, other PPA confidently provide an apartment with a conspicuous dilapidated outlook having a very poor rest room, for instance, an obsolete pit toilet or in some cases no toilet at all. To the nth degree of this menance is that some PPA don’t even pay corps members, claiming the corps members would be paid by the Federal Government, while some PPA have long defuncted. Let me seize this opportunity to commend The NIGERIAN OBSERVER in her effort in providing quality and convenient shelters to corps members, then, despite the good staff relations to us she had since motivated us nairawise, kudos!
Now back to my agitation. “I will rather speak the truth on this ‘cause it is better to pen it than to allow it being swept under the rug – at the end of the day, corps  members face a detrimental pain. It is high time the NYSC officials stemmed the tide by setting up a committee that will be solely bent to inspect then access the standard of some organizations alongside the organizations residence to be used as corps members’ accommodation. The hopeful unbias accessments and inspections will give the committee the ample chance to spot out some none existing PPA and on the other hand “save corps members from the embarrassing disappointment most of them regularly face at arriving a PPA which has long defuncted” says Dr. Fred Eyo, a contemporary writer base in Akwa Ibom State.
Also, to alleviate this untold stress and tension lies on the philanthropic responsibility of the state government as well as the private sector organizations. Here, state governments from different states should establish a scheme that will foster construction of a mini-housing estate. The mini-housing estates which would be located in various local government areas in individual state will act as a temporary and governmentally secured lodge for only stranded corps members. Though most religious non-governmental organizations have been assisting in curtailing this problem, there is still need for more supports. More so, cooperate private organizations should partner state government(s) in the provision of a safe haven for embattled corps members.
Most interesting is another NYSC paramount issue that was speculatively echoed last year that there will be an increase in corps members monthly Federal Government allowance (Alawi). The rumor which was commonly popularized solely on the internet was not only false but was against the campaign promise of President Buhari, saying assurably that he was to increase the “Alawi” from N19800 to N39800. An internet report has carried that “the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to inform all NYSC members and the general public that the bill passed by the presidency to the senate for the increment of the allowance of the youth corps members have been approved. Starting from August, all NYSC federal allowance will now be N49800. For more motivated quotes, text “MQ” to 30331 now at N100 per day – Naira land forum”.
In another development NewsNgr. Com stated “NewsNgr.com has received a lot of questions by corps members throughout the federation per several reasons concerning the corpers federal allowance increment, some said they heard that President Buhari through the federal government has finally approved the promise, while some said that the payment will start August or September 2015 for Batch A and C corps members. Now NewsNgr is offering its solution by saying that even though the approval of the said allowance is possible, for now we are waiting to get information through our several local Journalists…”
Obviously the campaign promise of the president on this issue has been unfulfilled while the conjuctures has been also evidently untrue. Optimistically, the increase of the said allowance if put into implementation will go a long way in potently boosting the morals and official motivation of serving corps members across the country. Then to the intending corps members, the increment will not only add greatly to the already built glory of the scheme, it will establish a steady and positive years as well as abrupt interest to enroll voluntarily to the scheme. It will further maintain a sense of belonging among corps members and alleviate the suffering facing corp members since they will conveniently invest or expand their entrepreneurship especially during or after the programme, and it will hopefully contribute to the federal government’s bellicose action in reducing the lingering unemployment scurge viewed to be rashly ravaging the country’s nacent development.
Reflectively, the nation’s education sector stands a chance to be enviably developed and with great assurance, the sector will be highly regarded internationally. I call on President Buhari to pay positive heed to this rapting issue, which I confidently believe will all in all restructure the picture rail like hardship facing unemployed youths and corps members in the country, God bless Nigeria!.