Okenyi Kenechi
Seven months after he announced the government’s decision to employ 5000 youths into the state civil service, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has asked thousands of applicants to exercise patience as their applications are still being sorted.
Sylvanus Nwankwo, Wike’s commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment had on October 28, 2020, announced the government’s decision to employ 5000 youths into the state’s workforce.
Briefing journalists, Nwankwo had said the youths must not be more than 35 years. He also assured of the government’s commitment to creating sustainable employment opportunities for the teeming youths of the state.
But seven months later, Paulinus Nsirim, the state commissioner for information and communication in an interview with City News urged candidates who recently applied for the jobs to be optimistic as applications are still being sorted and processed.
“There is no delay, whatsoever. With the number of applications that were received, there is a template being used to access it. Civil Service Commission is in the process of screening to know that those who qualify are those who will be given the job. They need to ensure that no one who qualified is disenfranchised. It is not as if the government is not doing anything. Thousands of applications were received. It is a thorough-going process.
He added that it is not the modus operandi of the Wike administration to make promises it cannot fulfil.
“Those who applied should be patient. The character of this administration is one that keeps promises. Wike is one governor that has said he will not leave any abandoned project, and this 5,000 jobs is one promise he will fulfil. It is a top priority for him. He wants to see how he can empower the youth because when these people are employed, it will have a ripple effect. They will be able to take care of others close to them.”
Not the first time
On August 8, 2018, the then Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja said that the State Government has given approval for the employment of 10,000 teachers and 4,000 Non-Academic staff.
He said the move is part of steps by Governor Wike-led the administration to rejig the education sector in the state.
Gogo Jaja who is now in charge of the ministry of water resources had said: “By the special Grace of God, as we resume for the next academic session, we shall be having new teachers in the sector. And therefore the Governor has graciously directed the ministry to initiate steps towards the employment of 10,000 teachers for our Junior and senior secondary schools in the state.
“We believe that with the employment of 10,000 new teachers, the cry for the lack of teachers in the sector will be a thing of the past.
He also revealed that 4,000 non-academic and other auxiliary staff will also be engaged ahead of the 2019 academic session.
He said: “His Excellency also understands that to run a school goes beyond the employment of academic staff. We are building new schools, we are renovating new schools, and we would maintain these new schools.
“You need security men, you need cleaners to assist the teachers as well, so the academic staff need non-academic staff.
“And therefore the Governor of Rivers State has also graciously approved the employment of 4,000 non-academic staff in our secondary schools in the state.
“And this non-academic staff include; security men, admin officers, confidential secretaries, executive officers, drivers, cleaners and clerical officers”.
However, two years after the state government announced the 10,000 teachers’ employment and failing to carry out the exercise, Governor Nyesom Wike while speaking during a Channels TV live programme in Port Harcourt on September 25, 2020, reduced the number of teachers to be employed to 6000.
Despite the reduction, the state failed to carry out the employment exercise.
