The Rivers State Government has withdrawn from the Federal Government’s Youth Empowerment Program which will allocate small jobs to the less fortunate in Nigeria, oyogist.com reports.
Rivers State Assistant Governor Nyesom Wike on NDDC, Erastus Awortu, made the announcement on Wednesday, August 12, 2020. Erastus Awortu sent a letter to the Minister of State for Labor and Employment, Festus Keyamo explaining why the Rivers government was taking this step.
The governor’s office complained that the selection committee for the posts and Dr. Innocent Barikor made the system look like an APC one.
Mr Awortu told Festus Keyamo (SAN) in a letter that Innocent Barikor had acted illegally to recruit potential workers from Rivers State.
“I am on the Rivers State Government’s recruitment committee. I want to inform you about the irregularities and politicization of the recruitment process in the state.”
“From the initial terms you gave to your office after the launch of the program, you explained how the tasks would be divided after the politicians in power were allocated their shares.”
“The Rivers State government has withdrawn from the 774,000-strong recruitment scheme” – Awortu
“After the removal of the remaining 1,000 members from the local government area, each member of the commission will receive 20 seats due to the people he represents.”
“Then one of the nominees will submit the names of the nominees from the local government to the chairman of the committee after some time.”
According to Erastus Awortu, Barikor is currently on the run. “The chairman, secretary and APC members of the committee have allocated 100 seats to each of the local government areas.” The governor’s office said.
CAN was given 10 seats, the Islamic Supreme Council won 5, the traditional rulers won 10. The minister said in his capacity as the governor’s representative he did not get anything.
The chairman of the committee said the remaining 775 seats in each local government area would be distributed only to APC members, prompting Awortu to say they would not participate in the process.
