“Food is Scarce”: Corps Members Lament Inflation, Hunger in Orientation Camps
- The current hardship in Nigeria has not spared corps members under the 2024 Batch A, stream 1 in different camps
- Their major issue right now is the rising cost of food in mammy markets in orientation camps
- The corps members shared details of how lack of funds has forced many of them to dump the mammy market
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Lagos state - The high cost of living in the country is not sparing members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Source: Facebook
Corps members who are currently undergoing the 2024 batch A, stream 1 orientation in different camps across the country, are complaining about the soaring food prices in the mammy markets.
The mammy markets are stationed in every NYSC orientation camp for those unable to endure the queues for camp-provided food.
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Vanguard reported that despite the displeasure of some corps members with the quality and quantity of meals in the camps, many cannot afford to augment such meals from mammy markets because of insufficient funds.
A corps member, identified as Jefferson in Bauchi NYSC camp, shared on TikTok that the exorbitant costs in mammy markets have forced nearly all corps members to queue for camp food.
He said:
“Everyone wants camp food due to the unaffordable prices in the mammy market. Those who brought thousands to the camp have exhausted their funds within two days. Now, food is scarce for all corps members.”
Another corps member in the southern part of the country disclosed that the camp coordinator advised corps members not to rely on camp food, as it is not supposed to be sufficient for everyone.
NYSC reacts to high cost of food in camps
Meanwhile, the management of the NYSC has described reports that corps members lamented high food prices in camps as "a tissue of lies."
Eddy Megwa, the NYSC director of press and public relations, in a statement on Saturday, February 17, emphasised that camp markets were highly regulated so as to prevent exploitation of corps members by the operators.
Ibadan youths protest economic hardship
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that residents of Oyo state hit the streets on Monday, February 19, over the high cost of living, food inflation, and the current economic hardship in the country.
The protesters gathered around the Mokola area of Ibadan, the state capital, wielding placards with various inscriptions such as ‘end food hike and inflation,’ ‘the poor are starving,’ and ‘Tinubu, don’t forget your promises,’ among others.
Armed police officers were seen at the protest scene as the youths held a peaceful rally against the current economic hardship.
They called on President Tinubu to quickly intervene as the situation bites harder in the country.
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Source: Legit.ng
