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Green Police: Pregnant Women, 10,000 Youth Jostle For 1,500 Posts
Several pregnant women and nursing mothers were among 10,000 of applicants who stormed the U.J. Esuene Stadium at the weekend as the Cross River State Government commenced the first phase of the screening exercise for recruitment into its 1,500-man Green Police.
The exercise, which started with a two-kilometer walk from the stadium through MCC and Murtala Muhammed Highway and back, saw thousands of very energetic youth aged between 18 and 35 queue up as early as 7.am to be shortlisted as cadets.
Others included former councillors as well as those above 40 years who have experienced long years of unemployment.
Reacting to the mammoth crowd, Governor Ben Ayade said he was saddened by what the exercise in Calabar had clearly revealed, which is a depressing unemployment situation not only in Cross River but the entire country.
According to the governor, “I feel very sad that this is the kind of situation that confronts us as a people and as a nation. I have always maintained that my government is for the very poor. I completely agree with the philosophy of my predecessor, Senator Liyel Imoke, that governance should be taken to those who need it the most. I am guided by this philosophy.”
Ayade further disclosed that “what I have seen here today, the challenge is on me to create more jobs for our teeming unemployed youths.”ý
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Forestry Commission, Dr. Perpetua Aji, who said that she was overwhelmed by the turnout including pregnant women whom she described as unfit for the paramilitary job, stressed, “the exercise was borne out of Ayade’s desire to increase the forest cover of the state, with aggressive and massive planting of trees, raising nursery beds, so we need people to participate to actualize this dream.”
She further stressed that “the purpose of establishing Green Police in the state is to protect the forest, plant trees, protect the coastal land amongst other environmental conservation programmed in their respective communities under Forestry Commission.”
The permanent secretary also disclosed that “though the advertisement was restricted to OND and NCE as the highest qualifications, those with higher qualifications, including PhD have also been jostling to be employed into the Green Police due to lack of employment.”
One of the pregnant women and mother of three, Mrs Esther Manson, from Akamkpa Local Government Area said, “I know it is risky for me to do this exercise, I want to assist my husband to support the house, I don’t want to be left behind.”
Over eight thousand persons submitted applications for the recruitment exercise.
The first phase of the recruitment exercise covered the seven local council areas of the Southern Senatorial District which attracted 4,000 applicants. The remaining two Senatorial districts of Northern and Central are expected in a few days.
About 1,500 persons will be recruited into the special force after the exercise, as the governor promised to create 1,000 jobs in his 100 days in office.
Friday Nwagbara, Calabar
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.