The Tuesday
edition of the Nigerian Guardian newspaper has become the
paper of choice for the Nigerian youth in search of his or
her first job post-NYSC, and also for the working
professional looking for career change and new
opportunities. The Guardian on Tuesday was also the
reference paper for jobs during our days as fresh graduates
in the 90s when we walked the streets of Lagos with file
jackets containing our curriculum vitaes and photocopies of
our credentials for easy reach should we stumble upon an
opportunity. This was long before the advent of the email,
iphone, BlackBerry and other communication technologies that
now make it possible for applicants to send out their CVs to
multiple organisations at the touch of the send button while
on the go.
Nigerian advertisers with products and services targeting
the youth market and working professionals, ranging from
educational and training institutions, organisations with
job openings etc have since keyed into the fact that any ad
carried in the Tuesday Guardian guarantees maximum exposure.
This is why on any given Tuesday; the pages of the Tuesday
Guardian are filled with various types of advertisements
promoting all sorts. One of such advertisements that caught
my attention recently was the one published on page 38 in
the April 27th 2010 edition. The ad, a reminder one, was
sponsored by the Imo state government, through the newly
created Imo state Job Centre with the trademark face of the
governor, Ikedi Ohakim displayed at the bottom corner just
like in the many billboards, buses, tricycles etc in Imo
state which all combine to give the impression that the
governor is on some kind of ego trip and popularity contest.
My initial joy on reading the screaming promise of 10,000
new public service jobs in Imo state was cut short seconds
later when I read somewhere in the body of the ad that
applicants needed to buy a scratch card of N2,000 from
listed designated banks to complete the application process
online at www.imo.ngrecruit.com.
There was also some information in the ad to the fact that
renowned consulting firm, KPMG is somewhat associated with
the project. Perhaps the state government hopes to pay
KPMG’s consulting fees from part of the money that will be
raised from the sales of the scratch cards. But I see this
as self-inflicted agony. The state government does not need
KPMG to manage its job recruitment process as it has enough
personnel both in the governor’s office and in the many
ministries in the state to manage such a process.
I have visited Owerri, the capital of Imo state several
times in the last one year. Judging from the communications
coming out of Imo state government house, especially on the
New Face of Imo project, one will give it to the governor
for the way his team has been communicating his many
ambitious projects to Ndi Imo, and other Nigerians. But
disappointingly, it appears that the governor’s achievements
are only visible in the many billboards bearing his face
scattered all over the state funded with tax payers’ money.
There is hardly anything convincing on the ground to show
that Imo state indeed is getting a new face, as one would
argue after visiting places like Uyo in Akwa Ibom state,
Enugu in Enugu state and Lagos; not the controversial
multi-billion naira Nworie river project, the characteristic
Owerri traffic gridlock, the laughable Kim-Kim transport
mini-cars etc.
Perhaps the governor could have been forgiven if he had
stopped at all these as one would have seen his many antics
as political gimmickry. However, the state government’s
recent attempt at obtaining money from the youths of Imo
state by promising them ‘jobs for cash’ under the guise of
‘empowering youths and strengthening the public service’
should be condemned. The scheme should be shunned by the
youths as the road can only lead to misery. There is no
guarantee that after paying N2, 000, they can progress to
the next stage of the interview. The capacity of Imo state
to create and sustain 10,000 new jobs in this period of
economic hardships when other states and private sector
establishments are either placing embargo on employment, or
are downsizing is also in doubt, considering that its
internally generated revenue (IGR) status stills ranks
amongst the lowest in Nigeria. This ‘jobs for cash’ scheme
is unfair as better qualified candidates who do not have
N2,000 to buy the scratch cards will be excluded from the
recruitment process, thereby denying the state of their
valuable skills and contribution to its socio-economic
development.
It may well be that at the end of the day, the promised
‘exciting public sector career opportunities in Imo state’
may just be another political gimmick aimed at capturing the
hearts and minds of parents and their children in Imo state
preparatory to 2011 elections. If that is the case, then the
strategy appears not to be working as it appears the youths
are not rushing to the banks as expected and projected to
deposit N2,000 as directed in the ad, hence the need for the
state government to re-run the advertisements after the
initial deadline had expired.
The growing unemployment in Nigeria has thus given rise to
situations where unscrupulous elements in the society
brazenly seek to exploit desperate young graduates under the
pretext of securing jobs for them. It is also shameful that
there is no government agency at the federal level (EFCC,
ICPC etc) that has shown a willingness to deal with issues
like this. One would have expected that the Federal Ministry
of Labour and Productivity under the new Minister, Chief
Emeka Wogu would at least make a statement over the huge
public outcry against Governor Ohakim’s planned fleecing of
unemployed youths in Imo state.
One also expects that the Consumer Protection Council and
other relevant NGOs and agencies will wade into this issue
and prevent ignorant citizens from being exploited. Since
Governor Ohakim likes talking about best practices, perhaps
it is pertinent to remind him that there is nowhere in the
world where Job Centres set up with tax payers’ money charge
their clients (job seekers) registration fees. The known
traditional role of government operated Job Centres are to
train registered clients in CV writing, interview, IT,
social and other skills. They broker work placement places
for their clients and maintain a database of unemployed job
seekers in the area and pay them job seekers allowance. They
also serve as job exchange centres for employers and
employees, helping job seekers by guiding and directing them
to available job opportunities. Job Centres should aim to
lighten, rather than increase the burden of job seekers as
the Imo state Job Centre is doing at the moment.
It is not just enough that the state government has imported
the name – Job Centre, the centre must also live up to its
name which excludes charging N2,000 for youths to apply for
government jobs. One commentator from Imo state on Facebook
pointedly told the governor to keep his 10,000 jobs. Another
has called on the youths of Imo state to rise up against
this; I wouldn’t be surprised if they do that in 2011. This
is also hoping that other state governments are not thinking
of going down this route of charging the citizens for
services that should normally be provided freely.
Published
April 27th, 2010
