*Says his bond with Rivers people can’t be broken
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Rivers State Governor, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, said the reason for the cancellation of the 10, 000 jobs recruitment for the state civil service by the immediate past administration is because the process was flawed and compromised by those entrusted to handle it.
It would be recalled that a few months to former Governor Nyesom WIke’s exit in office, he approved the recruitment of the 10,000 workers in the state civil service.
Speaking during an interactive session with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Governor Fubara assured that after the right thing is done, the recruitment process will continue, saying that the process will be transparent.
He expressed sadness that when the names of those selected from the 23 local government areas were scrutinised, they were people smuggled in for political patronage.
Responding to a question from the stakeholders, the Governor stated, “I know that is the first question, the 10,000 jobs. When we came onboard, we already had details that were submitted to us from the 23 local government areas.
“You will agree with me that when we subjected those names to proper scrutiny, most of those names, in fact 60 per cent of those names were over-aged. They were names that people brought for political patronage. But what we are talking about today is employment for the future. I personally after the analysis of those things, I said how will you employ somebody who is 52-years-old as a civil servant?
Meanwhile, the governor has stated that the social bond between his administration and Rivers people will remain unbroken, to drive governance for the wellbeing of the people and development of the state.
Fubara made the assertion yesterday, when he received a delegation of leaders and members of RIWAMA Service Providers Association, on a solidarity walk to Government House Gate in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the service providers, the governor urged them to redouble their efforts and make sure that refuse wastes are cleared off the streets promptly in order to have a cleaner city.
The governor, who was represented by Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, appreciated their daily toiling to make sure that the streets of Port Harcourt and the environs are free of refuse and kept clean.
He noted that a clean and hygienic environment is one enduring way that a government can also stay connected with the people, and ensure that they are not exposed to unhealthy living conditions.
Fubara charged the service providers to address some lapses in the conduct of their duties, adding that the resolve of the government now is to return Port Harcourt City to its glorious past as a Garden City.
He also advised them against either joining or doing things that contribute to demarketing of the state, which in the long run, destroys both the state while also mortgaging the future of Rivers children.
He said, “If we join to demarket our state, we will have ourselves to blame. When we demarket Port Harcourt, demarket Rivers State, and all the good people that want to bring in their money to invest here begin to run away, remember that it is our own future that we are destroying.
Earlier, leader of the delegation and Chairman of RIWAMA Service Providers Association, Mr. Andrew Ijegba, said they embarked on the solidarity walk to join in the ongoing celebration of the one year in office anniversary of the governor.
