The Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development on Tuesday bemoaned that the daily N600 feeding allowance of National Youth Service Corps Member was grossly inadequate compare to N1000 allowance of a prisoner in the country.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP Ebonyi Central), made the disclosure at the 2022 budget proposals of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development to the Senate Appropriations committee.
According to Ogba, the worst aspect of underfunding of the Ministry and its Parastatals was the ridiculous N600 feeding allowance for a NYSC member per day which is lower than N1,000 feeding allowance for a prisoner.
The lawmaker also observed that the N5billion earmarked for capital projects for the Sports Ministry and National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ) was too meagre.
“It is worrisome that feeding allowance for a youth Corp member per day is N600 while that of a prisoner is N1,000.
“The gross underfunding of the Ministry that brought about this worrisome development must be addressed.
“It is appalling that prisoners who have committed crimes are going to enjoy more than the youth corps members who are serving the country.
“The prisoners should not be taking more than the youth corps members.
You and I will agree that this is not the right thing. I’m only appealing to the executive and the legislature to do something about the youth corps members by increasing their daily feeding allowance from 600 to anything above N1000″ Ogba said.
Similarly, a member of the committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC, Kogi West) also noted that increasing the feeding allowance of NYSC members has become necessary for them to be patriotic.
