NGO Urges NYSC to Pay Corps Members ₦70k M’Wage, Threatens Legal Action

Kids In Need International, an Abuja-based non-governmental organization (NGO), has issued a legal ultimatum to the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for failing to pay corps members the newly established minimum wage of ₦70,000.

This demand follows the signing of the National Minimum Wage Bill (2019, as amended) into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on July 29, 2024. The new wage, set at ₦70,000, was intended to take effect starting in August 2024 after extended negotiations between organized labor and the Federal Government.

However, despite the presidential directive and the availability of funds, the NYSC management has reportedly withheld the August allowance, sparking widespread concern.

In a letter issued by TD Sorkaa and Associates, legal representatives for Kids In Need International, the NGO gave a 30-day notice of intent to sue if the NYSC fails to comply with the new wage mandate. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, demands that corps members be paid their allowances in full accordance with the law without further delay.

“The deliberate failure of your agency to pay the ₦70,000 minimum wage has caused corps members significant hardship, particularly given the country’s current inflation crisis, including the rising costs of food and transportation. We are prepared to pursue justice until this matter is resolved,” the letter stated.

The NGO also copied the letter to key government officials, including the President of Nigeria, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minister of Youth and Sports Development. The letter emphasized that legal action would be taken at the Federal High Court in Abuja if the NYSC does not meet its demands within the stipulated 30-day period.