…Says Wike should not play politics with unemployment record
Network for Defense of Democracy and Good Governance, NDDGG, has affirmed that the National Bureau for statistics was right when it listed Rivers state as one of the top three states in the country with highest unemployment rate.
The body in its statement to mark the nation’s 60th independence day celebration and signed by its leader and founder High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich aka Egberipapa, called on governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state to stop attempt to misrepresent the unemployment record of the state, saying the government had not provided about one hundred thousand jobs for Rivers people as he alleged in a recent television interview
“The Network for the Defense of Democracy and Good Governance NDDGG wishes to correct and set the records straight against the indefensible posture of the Rivers state government on the high unemployment rate in Rivers state amidst perceived frivolous wastage of public resources.
Our dear Governor of Rivers state, His Excellency Nyesom Wike had on September 26, 2020 misrepresented facts as incontrovertibly stated by the National Bureau of Statistics wherein it held that Rivers state had been categorized as top three states with the highest unemployment rate in Nigeria.
However, the Governor on a live TV interview claimed that the report released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Unemployment in Rivers State was fake and political.
He further claimed that his government has provided about one hundred thousand jobs for Rivers people.
This statement by the Governor is rather political and misleading to say the least. “, he said.
READ ALSO: Nigeria in 1960 and Nigeria in 2020 at a glance
Continuing, Jackrich who is also the founder and leader of Kengema Unity Forum, KUF, said there had been no employment, promotion of civil servants since the governor assumed office, adding that he had also not paid pensioners their gratuity and some other benefits accrued them.
“Since the inception of the Governor Wike administration in 2015, there has been no employment of civil servants, no promotion of civil servants, pensioners are not paid gratuities and several benefits accrued them
The only jobs Rivers citizens have benefited under him are menial jobs of daily pay for our youths; Task Force jobs which have turned our youths to touts; and all state owned enterprises which were hitherto functional before now are grounded and not revived and no new investments in place that would create employment for Rivers people. “, he said.
The group said the failure of the state governor to employ Rivers sons and daughters into the state civil service was responsible for increase crime rates among youths
“This accounts for the senseless wave of crime among our youths owing partly to the treacherous “use and dump” politics we play in Rivers state.
Our Governor may need to learn from our neighboring Akwa Ibom and Cross River states that have respectively floated a successful Airline with fleet and several industries creating innovative jobs for their people. “, the group said.
Jackrich also said it was sad Rivers youths were not trained on skills to properly position them for the multi billion dollar NLNG train seven project billed to take off soon in the state.
“We have a multi billion dollar NLNG Train seven project about taking off in Rivers state and the state has the opportunity to train our youths in strategic skill areas to qualify them and make them relevant for the very high paid project with the potentiality of creating up to thousands of jobs, but our Governor does not bother that these are steps for career and capacity development for our people before foreigners will take our chances for want of innovative capacity. “, he said
He further enjoined the governor to stop playing politics with the future of the unemployed in the state, adding that the government should comply with public procurement laws in awarding projects
“It is important to stress that our Governor must put on his thinking Cap to allow innovation to thrive in this state because everything is not and must not be about politics.
It is however instructive that on record Rivers state which ranks among the top states with the highest federal monthly allocation from the federation account can not boast of a single industrial estate or park under the current administration under Governor Wike.
All heavily hyped and celebrated projects under the Governor Nyesom Wike-led Rivers State government have been awarded on the governor’s table”, he said.
“This is not only criminally intended, but betrays global best practices at all cost, bringing our people to ridicule and mockery.
Finally, while we advise the governor to look out for innovative solutions and support to address our teething problems, NDDGG and its partners offer our wealth of innovative network to help the Wike government on request at no cost if need be in specific areas, to help Rivers state succeed better than its past for the next three years, because we are already making huge contributions in our own way as a patriotic organization in our various communities. Happy Independence Day!!”, he said
