By Inyali Peter
Cross River state youths have called on private companies operating in the state to create more jobs for indigenes of the state to curb unemployment in the country.
The youths who were speaking under the aegis of Forum of Past Union Leaders (FOPUL) made the call during an interaction with Governor Ben Ayade’s Special Assistant on Youths, Mr. Declan-Genesis Ogar.
Commending the governor over what he described as “hundred days of uncommon achievement”, the Chairman of the Forum, Engineer Egbe Jerome lamented that private companies operating in the state have employed more non-indigenes than indigenes.
Egbe maintained that despite efforts by the state governor to create more jobs for the teeming youths, the private sector in the state has not lived up to their corporate social responsibility of taking up projects that would benefit the host state.
“I want to commend the uncommon achievement of our governor within his hundred days in office which include but not restricted to lifting of 23 years old embargo on employment, construction of garment factory and commencement of the 260km super highway which the president is to do the ground breaking later this month.
“Despite efforts by the government to create jobs, we need the private companies operating in the state to live up to their social responsibilities. We want to seriously call on companies operating in Cross River to employ Cross Riverians into their labor force”.
The chairman warned that youths in any society are prime movers of events who when neglected in the scheme of activities can engage in other activities capable of disrupting the growth of both the government and private sector.
He advised that companies operating in the state must key into the administrative policy of the governor which centers on youths development, noting that youths would no longer accept anything other than mass recruitment of Cross Riverians into the private companies.
Also speaking, a member representing Cross River state at the Nigeria Youths’ Parliament, Mr. Kingsley Ikpeme appealed to the government to revive the issue of students financing and man power development which has long been forgotten in the state.
According to him, “We want to appeal to government to ensure that students financing and man power development is top most in their priority. Government should begin to revive the dead bursary scheme for Cross River State students to reduce the present hardship faced by our students”.
Earlier, the SA on Youths to the Governor, Mr. Declan-Genesis Ogar who described the meeting as “symbolic and historic” called on the youths and the general public to support the vision of the governor to make the state an industrial hub and a haven for investors.
While lauding the governor for identifying youths as his greatest asset, he charged FOPUL to always remain law abiding and share ideas that center on good governance, economic development and accountability.
“Youths are no more future leaders but today leaders. For us to take the full advantage of the opportunity presented by the governor to serve, we must key into his administrative policy of running a responsible, credible and transparent government with good governance as a watchword”.
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