By Jonathan Ugbal, Violet Isek and Margaret John
The Cross River State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade John Ushie has said the State’s civil service risks closure by 2023 if recruitment of new staff is not carried out immediately.
He stated this on Tuesday while delivering a traditionally lengthy speech at an event to commemorate the 2018 edition of the International Workers’ Day celebration at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar.
The labor leader posited that over 95 percent of the current state civil service staff will be retiring in 2023, adding that young eligible people should be recruited for training in various institutions in the state.
“There is urgent need to recruit staff into the civil service, because currently over 95 percent of the staff in the state civil service will be retiring in 2023; and as such, the civil service may come to a close at the end of the Ayade Administration if recruitment is not carried out promptly,” Ushie said.
CrossRiverWatch findings reveal there is currently no junior cadre in the state’s civil service and despite Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade lifting an embargo on employment, there has been no recruitment into the civil service.
Worst hit is the medical sector where over 80 percent of the nurses in primary health care are billed to retire within 6 months.
In his response, Mr. Ayade stated that the state is ready to expand it’s work force by employing more people.
He averred that; “Cross River State is prepared for industrialization. I am therefore using this May Day to again reaffirm that we are committed to another additional recruitment of 9,000 employees. These 9,000 employees will come 3,000 from each Senatorial district.”
He had announced that he will employ 3000 youths from each of the three senatorial districts in the state during his endorsement tour in February this year.
At Ogoja, on February 24, 2018 he said that: “I want to announce the creation of 3,000 new jobs for unemployed youths in the northern senatorial district. I have also announced the same number of jobs for unemployed youths in the central senatorial districts.”
However, in what seemed more like a political move which left some arguing that he meant he was going to appoint more people, Ayade said those to be given more consideration will be those who trooped out en masse to honor him.
“The heads of local government administrations in the various local government areas are to compile the lists of the unemployed youths, especially those of you that have come to honor me,” he said.
He had visited Ikom the previous day on February 23, where he made a similar announcement that there will be an addition of 3,000 people to the conditional cash transfer scheme of the state.
On February 1, 2018, the governor made a similar promise where after disclosing that he has 3,843 appointees, announced that he will be appointing 3000 more appointees to take the number above 6,000.