Wike approves employment of 5, 000 youths

By Amaka Agbu

Rivers State Executive Council has approved the employment of 5, 000 youths who are not above 35 years into the civil service.

The approval was given during its meeting on Wednesday which was presided over by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and held at Government House, Port Harcourt, capital city of the state.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the State Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Mr. Sylvanus Nwankwo, said there are existing vacancies in the civil service needing Engineers, Lawyers, Medical Doctors, Technicians and other fields of profession that these youths would fill.

Also addressing journalists at the end of the meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said the recruitment drive undertaken by the Wike administration would cushion the employment gap in the state.

Nsirim also said that the council approved that civil servants that were asked to stay back at home during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown are to resume work on Monday 2nd November, 2020.

“Civil servants on grade level 1 to 10 who have been at home because of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown are to resume work Monday November 2nd, 2020.

Similarly, bars that had been closed down since COVID-19 lockdown were to open , while night clubs would remain closed,” he said.

According to the Commissioner council also approved a minor cabinet reshuffle that has moved the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs to take charge of the Ministry of Works.

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He said the current Commissioner for Works would now head the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning, while the former commissioner would move to the Ministry of Transport. Mr. Nsirim stated that the current Commissioner for Transport would then be in charge of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs.

The Information Commissioner also said that the council decided that the Rebisi Flyover would be commissioned on the 7th November, 2020, by the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola (SAN).

On his part, the Commissioner for Youths, Prince Ohia, said the council’s approval for the employment of 5000 youths showed that governor Wike was youth friendly