Feeding is an essential part of the orientation programme, during which corps members undergo military drills, lectures, physical exercises and other activities designed to prepare them for the service year.

The proposed increase is expected to provide additional support for feeding arrangements at orientation camps.

However, details regarding the revised allocation and how much additional funding each corps member would receive were not provided during the announcement.

Beyond the feeding allowance, the NYSC Director-General urged the corps members to develop sound financial habits and prepare responsibly for life after the service year.

He advised them to avoid unnecessary spending, exercise restraint in their financial decisions and cultivate the habit of saving.

Nafiu also commended the corps members for their resilience and willingness to serve the country, noting the importance of their contributions to national development.

He encouraged them to make responsible choices throughout their service year and take advantage of opportunities that could improve their future prospects.

The Director-General placed particular emphasis on the safety of corps members travelling between their places of residence, orientation camps and places of primary assignment.

He advised them to avoid travelling late in the evening, recommending that they stop their journeys after 6 p.m. and continue the following day.

He warned against the practice of resting in exposed public places or sleeping in groups at filling stations while travelling, noting that such situations could make corps members easy to identify.

“Refrain from resting in public places and avoid sleeping in groups at filling stations, as this makes you easily identifiable.

“Proceed to military installations, police stations or DSS offices, and contact the NYSC hotline,” he advised.

Nafiu further assured the corps members that efforts would be intensified to engage relevant stakeholders in addressing infrastructure needs at the Obubra Orientation Camp.

He said there would be further engagement with stakeholders to support the establishment and rehabilitation of facilities at the camp.

The condition of orientation camp facilities remains an important aspect of corps members’ welfare, as the camps provide accommodation, feeding, training and other essential services during the initial phase of national service.

Improved infrastructure can also support the delivery of orientation activities and help create a more suitable environment for corps members and camp officials.

The NYSC chief also encouraged the participants to acquire practical skills that could improve their employability and provide alternative sources of income after their service year.

He urged them to look beyond their academic qualifications and use the orientation period to consider additional areas of personal and professional development.

“Acquire skills in fields that will benefit you, such as cosmetology, traditional hairstyling techniques and similar disciplines,” he said.

The Director-General’s visit also provided an opportunity for camp officials to brief him on activities and conditions at the Cross River State Orientation Camp.

National Youth Service Corps NYSC

National Youth Service Corps NYSC

Presenting an assessment of the camp, the NYSC Cross River State Coordinator, Mrs Adejoke Oyenuga, described the visit as a demonstration of the Director-General’s commitment to the welfare of corps members.

Oyenuga disclosed that 1,064 corps members had been registered at the camp.

She added that the participants had successfully adapted to the structured environment and routine of the orientation programme.

The registration figure reflects the number of corps members recorded at the camp during the period covered by the assessment.

The orientation exercise is intended to familiarise participants with the objectives of the NYSC scheme, encourage discipline and teamwork, and prepare them for their subsequent deployment to places of primary assignment.

The proposed increase in feeding allocation, together with the planned engagement on camp infrastructure, forms part of the issues raised during Nafiu’s interaction with the corps members and camp management.

According to the commission, he filed one suit at the Federal High Court on February 20 challenging a search warrant, a second at the FCT High Court on March 3 challenging a remand order, and this third suit on February 24.

In the dismissed suit, the former governor asked the court to restrain all four respondents from freezing his accounts or seizing his assets while the substantive matter was being heard.

He argued that the severance pay he received after his governorship, which ran from 2015 to 2023, could not reasonably be considered proceeds of unlawful activity, and that properties purchased with those funds were lawfully owned.

Beyond the injunctions, el-Rufai sought N1 billion in general, exemplary and aggravated damages, citing psychological distress, anxiety and reputational harm he said would arise from any unlawful forfeiture proceedings. He also claimed N100 million in legal costs.

The AGF’s representative, Maimuna Lami-Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law, argued that an interim forfeiture order was not a final forfeiture order and that seeking one did not, on its own, violate el-Rufai’s rights, as the ICPC, EFCC and DSS were each legally empowered to apply to a competent court for such orders during investigations.

However, Osifo said the current exchange rate was still not satisfactory to the labour centre.

“We commend the CBN governor Cardoso for the great work that he is doing in the Central Bank, but we can still do much more because we still believe that 1300 Naira to $1 is still undervalued.”

He explained that the position of the union was not that the naira should be returned to the levels where it was considered overvalued.

Rather, he said the government should pursue policies that would allow the currency to trade at a stronger and more sustainable level.

“From all international commentators, from economic think-tanks, both local and international, from scholars, currently our Naira is undervalued and is not trading at the strength it should.

“Yes, we knew that before, when it was around N400, it was overvalued, but today at N1,300 it is still undervalued. So, government should do everything possible to move the Naira to the right value.”

Osifo linked the exchange rate directly to the continued pressure on Nigerians, particularly through the prices of petroleum products.

Petrol Station Price

TUC had previously argued that intervention in the foreign exchange market could help lower the cost of crude supplied to domestic refineries and, in turn, reduce petrol prices.

The union’s latest position comes as workers continue to deal with the effects of high living costs.

TUC said the government should therefore pay attention not only to broader economic indicators but also to the impact of economic policies on households and workers.

Osifo said some macroeconomic indicators were beginning to show signs of improvement, including inflation and exchange-rate stability.

He, however, maintained that the government needed to translate such improvements into tangible relief for Nigerians.