Niger increases allowances for NYSC members

Minna – Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger announced on Thursday in Minna that the state government had increased the allowances paid to National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed to the state.

Also the state govenment said it planned easy transportation needs by constructing a light rail system on the Minna-Abuja route to ease .

Aliyu announced this  at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp at Paiko while inaugurating the 2013 Batch `A’ corps members.

He said that the increase was to enable the corps members to cope with the prevailing economic realities in the country, adding that the gesture would motivate them to put in their best during the service year.

The governor added that the corps members would receive the allowances in addition to the N19,800 allowance paid by the Federal Government.

He said that medical doctors would now receive N29 000 as against the previous  N28,000 monthly allowance from the state government while those who previously  received N13 000 monthly in the para-medical sector would now be paid N14 000.

He further announced that other categories of corps members be paid N6 000 as against N3,000 previously

Earlier, the state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Justina Andirya, said that 2 200 corps members, comprising 1 219 males and 981 females were registered at the Paiko Orientation Camp at the close of registration on Wednesday night.

She said that at the end of the orientation course and in line with the new NYSC posting policy of the Federal Government, corps members would be posted to rural health centres, primary and secondary schools, as well as rural infrastructure and agricultural development centres.

The NYSC coordinator commended the state government for establishing a 20-bed clinic at the permanent camp in Paiko Local Government Area of the state.

She said that the orientation course which commenced on March 5 would close on March 26.

Niger Govt. to establish light rail system on Minna-Abuja route — Commissioner

The Niger Government said on Thursday that it planned to construct a light rail system on the Minna-Abuja route to ease transportation needs.

The Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Danladi Abdulhammed, made this known to newsmen after the state Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Minna.

Abdulhammed said that the government had already set up a committee to carry out a feasibility study on the viability of the project.

“It is a dream that will be realised with prayers and commitment.”

The Commissioner also said that the state government had set the necessary machinery in motion for the review of the laws establishing some agencies in the state.

The agencies are the Niger State Urban Development Board, the Pilgrims Welfare Commission and the Niger State University of Education, Minna.

He said that a bill would be soon be sent to the state Assembly for consideration.