Abuja: ‘Youth corpers’ city of rejection

‘Life at the orientation camp was very disappointing, to say the least. I had to fight tooth and nail for everything in the camp. I mean, this is FCT, the ‘money state’. I know camp life is hard and fun, but nothing prepared me for the first week at the camp. It is a case […]

‘Life at the orientation camp was very disappointing, to say the least. I had to fight tooth and nail for everything in the camp. I mean, this is FCT, the ‘money state’. I know camp life is hard and fun, but nothing prepared me for the first week at the camp. It is a case I would describe as worse than that of the refugees, no water, poor electricity supply, shortage of accommodation, useless and undeserving punishment by the so-called “military camp officials,” and, to worsen the situation the feeding was best fit for the dogs,” lamented Chulwueloka.

But if he thought he had seen the last of his woes, then he was wrong. Investigation by Sunday Trust revealled that scores of corp members posted to various government and private organizations were rejected on the flimsy excuse of the lack of vacancy. Sharing her ordeal with this medium, Veronica Umeh, a graduate of the University of Calabar, explained that “after the three weeks orientation camp, I was posted to Alliance Micro Finance Bank in central Area, but after I had perambulated their office for almost three months, I was told that I could not be accepted because there was no vacancy in their establishment.

Thereafter, I returned to the NYSC office for another posting letter, and I was posted to INEC office in Maitama, but the story was the same. The officials there allowed me to come to work for three weeks, after which they told me they could not give me a place. It was really very frustrating, and after I had suffered two more similar experiences, I finally ended up at a local secondary school in Kuje.”  

Also narrating her ordeal, Natasha Jonathan, a batch ‘C’ corps member, said: “After surviving the camp orientation, I was posted, in the first place, to my area of specialization.  But, unfortunately for me, the company tactically rejected me, under the guise that they were doing some re-organization. I was reposted to another private firm and the person in charge asked me for my grade. I told him that I had an upper credit. Finally, he told me they could not accept a polytechnic graduate. At the end of the day, I had to accept serving in a secondary school in Karmo, where you are not paid for your labor, and not provided a decent accommodation. The only benefit I have derived from my stay in the last six months is to browse for as long as only six hours daily. To cope with the problems of this sprawling city, one must, first of all, secure a comfortable accommodation. But having a roof over your head may not solve the problem as a means of movement is a sine qua non for effective work habit. Here, in Abuja, commercial motorcyclists have been outlawed in the city centre. However, most corps members have none of these two basic needs to survive the harsh times in Abuja, she lamented.

why companies reject NYSC members

In an interaction with Sunday Trust, an official of Paterson Engineering Company, based in Abuja, explained the rationale behind the organization’s rejection of corps members. According to him, “we don’t just reject corps member indiscriminately. Most times when we reject corps members, it is usually because the corps members knew nothing about what we are doing. For instance, last year, a corps member who studied English Language and Literature was posted to us and we felt, since he could notcontribute anything meaningful to the growth of the company, it was not only in our interest, for him to be rejected, but also in his own interest too. When you take into consideration that fact that the corps member needs to gather work experience that is related to his field of study you will accept our position.

Also speaking to this medium, Yvonne Eleko Yejide, who studied Mass communication in Igbinedion University, Okada, explained that “To make matters worse for us, most employers do not make accommodation available for us. This has made life difficult for corps members who do not have families and friends in Abuja. It is worse for those living in places such as Nyanya, Karu, Gwagwalada, Kubwa, and Jikwoyi, where a room costs at least, N120,000 -N150,000 a year. Others who do not have such amount of money (especially when the monthly federal allowance of N9,750 is exhausted) are staying in lodges owned by religious bodies such as the Nigeria Christians Corpers Fellowship (NCCF) and the Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN).

Going by the policy of the NYSC on accommodation and transportation, employers are expected to provide, at least, a room to a corps member with bed, mattress, pillow, table and chair. Employers are also enjoined to provide transportation for corps members; but with a proviso that where none exist; money should be paid to them. These are aptly enunciated in the service manual.

what ministries offer nysc members

Those serving in federal ministries and other government establishments are not paid more than five thousand naira. Though the amount varies, there is little or no provision for transport and accommodation.

However, when contacted for comments, the NYSC Public Relations Officer, Mambolla Joel,  told this medium that “ this whole scenario is very complex because most of the times, it is the corps members that make things difficult for themselves. For instance, during the orientation period at the camp, most of the corps members would lobby with various employers whom they believe have good prospects to employ them, and then during posting exercise, they will appear with letters from these organizations requesting the NYSC to post them to the organizations.

“At the end of the day, when their arrangements go wrong, they turn around and ask to be posted elsewhere. Apart from the issue of those who connived with companies and agencies to influence postings, most corps members are themselves the architects of their own misfortunes as they do everything for their employers to reject them. I am even aware that some of the corps members prostrate to their various employers, begging to be rejected so that they can be posted to other places where they deem more lucrative. But our statistics show that the majority of those who have these problems are those doing their primary assignments within the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC. Others serving in other places hardly have any issue of rejection. The thing is: almost all the corps members want to serve in the town.” While speaking on the meager salary being paid to corps members, Joel explained further that “almost all the companies and government agencies are guilty.

Even the National Assembly that should know better still pays peanuts to corps members serving with them. Every employer ought to review the pay packages for corps members serving with them so as to boost their productivity level. Aside from the pay package, most employers do not provide accommodation for corps members which is really disappointing. Presently, as I speak with you, there are no corpers’ lodges in the FCT.” On the way forward, the NYSC spokesman called on employers to attend workshops and seminars organized by the NYSC on the need to relate effectively with corps members posted to their establishments.