Worried by the reluctance of youths to participate in the ongoing police recruitment exercise, Abia State Government has directed all 17 Mayors, traditional rulers and Presidents-General of communities in the state to quickly embark on mass mobilisation of their youths to fill the state’s quota.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, in a statement, regretted that the state’s allocation “in the ongoing police recruitment exercise has been grossly underutilised.”
According to the statement, “Regrettably too, about 700 candidates invited for interview in the ongoing recruitment exercise are yet to show up.
“To this end, Governor Alex Otti has directed all local government mayors, chairmen of Traditional Rulers Councils and their members in all the LGAs, Presidents-General of town unions and community leaders to immediately mobilise their youths for this very important exercise to ensure that the state’s quota is filled.
“The governor further directed all those who have been invited for the interview as a matter of urgency, to appear for the exercise. Abia cannot be left out in the scheme of any aspect of Nigeria’s socio-political and economic life.
“All invited candidates who are yet to show up for the recruitment exercise for one reason or the other should approach the office of the Commissioner for Information and Culture for further clarifications. Call or text to 09067409284 or 08029968511
“The future belongs to our youths. In the spirit of the new Abia, our youths must prepare for their future now.”
Sen Nwaka suggests introduction of incentives
In a swift reaction, the former Chairman of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Senator Emman Nwaka, commended Gov. Otti for the move.
The 3rd Republic Senator condemned the aloofness of Abia youths in recruitment into military and para-military agencies.
He suggested the introduction of little incentives to lure the youths as well as the engagement of retired servicemen to sensitive the youths on the benefits of the service.
He said: “Your Excellency, I welcome your efforts to encourage Abians to fill our quota in the recruitment exercise of the police, army, immigration, and the rest of them. The aloofness of our youths is worrisome.
“I believe that some kind of incentives/inducements might help in addition to encouraging those who have retired to embark on local government tours to educate our youths about the benefits of serving and ensuring that we are not sidelined in the scheme of things given the ethnic/religious diversity of our country.”
