Election duty: NYSC seeks allowance increase for corps members

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called for an increase in allowance paid to corps members for election-related duties in the country.

According to NAN, Christy Uba, NYSC’s acting director-general (DG), spoke when she hosted a team from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Friday.

The INEC team was led by Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the commission.

Speaking on the occasion, Uba said there is a need to review the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between NYSC and INEC in March 2022 ahead of the general election.

The acting NYSC DG said this has become imperative to meet current realities in the country.

“We need to work in our present reality, there is the need to review the allowances paid to the corps members,” she said.

“The chairman should please look at the conditions and ensure some level of improvement as contained in the MoU.”

Uba said the NYSC remains committed to its partnership with INEC to ensure the forthcoming election goes smoothly as planned.

“On the preparation for the 2023 general elections, we have directed state coordinators to encourage corps members to register on the INEC portal, and I believe they have done that,” she said.

“Corps’ welfare and service department is expected to visit states to assure corps members and staff of the commitment of INEC and NYSC, of their safety while on election duties.

“This is to further encourage them, given the situation we have found ourselves. They need to be assured that their security is being taken care of.’’

On his part, the INEC chairman said the commission will continue to place a premium on the security of corps members on election duty.

Yakubu described the role of corps members as the most critical in the election process.

“So, for that reason, we will also extend insurance cover in case of injury or other emergencies to all corps members involved in election duty,” he said.

“Working with the security agencies, we will also extend protection and security to the youth corps members’ lodges when they are deployed to the field on election days.

“This is because we have had some unhappy experiences before, when some hoodlums raided the corps members’ lodges in some places, while they were on election duty.

“So, we will continue to take whatever step that is necessary to protect and guarantee the security and welfare of the corps members.”