By CrossRiverWatch Admin
Several Cross Riverians who were shortlisted for the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) recruitment exercise missed the interview due to the choice of communication by the service.
59 Cross Riverians were selected but only a few turned up at the Nigeria Customs Service Training & Doctrine Command (NCS TRADOC) in Gwagwalada, Abuja for the interview an NCS source told this Newspaper in a message.
“The interview has commenced but some of them have not showed up. Let them find out information about the interview schedule. This is urgent please,” part of the message read.
But, it was already late when the message was sent as Cross River is, depending where you travel from, a minimum of nine or 12 hours to the training center.
The list obtained by CrossRiverWatch shows that 11 people were shortlisted for Customs Assistant Cadre (CONSOL 03), 20 people for Customs Assistant Cadre (CONSOL 04), 14 people for Customs Inspector Cadre (CONSOL 06) and 14 people for the Superintendent Cadre (CONSOL 08).
The process began with a call for application which interested applicants completed in 2019 and wrote the aptitude test in January 2020.
The COVID-19 lockdowns amidst other challenges pushed the initial interview to the first quarter of 2021.
The service published the list of the shortlisted candidates in February this year, and slated March 1st, March 3rd, March 8th and March 10th 2021 for CONSOL 8, CONSOL 6, CONSOL 4 and CONSOL 3 respectively for interviews.
Shortlisted applicants from Cross River State appeared before the interview panel at Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, Imo State between 9:00AM and 12:30PM on the dates which their cadre was to be attended to.
But, a second publication was made recently with August 2nd through 5th as dates for interviews.
“In continuation of the Nigeria Customs Service recruitment process, the under-listed candidates are again invited to attend the final recruitment screening exercise,” read the advert placed in some dailies but was not available at the NCS website.
Candidates from Cross River alongside those from Abia, Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Delta and Edo were to appear on Monday, August 2nd.
“This looks like some sort of supplementary list after the one that held in March because I was not called for the one in March and we were not sent texts because they said scammers would have taken advantage of that,” a shortlisted candidate (name withheld) said.
Those familiar with the events said what service said it will publish the lists from the two exercises.
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