…Restate commitment to youth development
Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has rejected call for the reinstatement of the sacked staff of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, who were newly employed in a controversial circumstances.
Fubara explained that the decision of the Rivers State Government to cancel the recent employment of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education was due to glaring irregularities associated with the process and bloated number of the newly employed Staff.
Governor Fubara who cleared the air on the issue at Government House Port Harcourt, while addressing the Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, who were on a courtesy visit.
The governor said there was no way the employment would have been allowed because the process contravened the earlier approval of the government which okayed the employment of 420 academic staff out of a total of 867 persons, but on the contrary, a total of 1900 persons were employed out of which only 123 were academic staff.
According to him, “We are going to revisit it and that second process will be strictly on the initial approval, ensuring that the academic staff are more. We must give our people the best, that decision is in the best interest of the state, and more especially the future of our state.”
Sir Fubara who assured the commitment of his administration towards youths empowerment and development in the state, cautioned the youths against operating in splinters, noting that they can only get government support when they work in unity of purpose.
The governor also said: “we are working with three foreign companies that would bring in investments. By the time they are established including agricultural projects, youth restiveness would reduce to the barest minimum.”
Earlier in his address, the Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, Amb. Chijioke Ihunwo said the visit was to congratulate the Governor on his electoral victory and the appointment of a youth activist, Chisom Gbali as Commissioner of Youth Affairs in the state.
He also appealed for the reconsideration of the state government’s decision on the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education employment process as it affects majority of the youths of the state.