A senior Nigerian lawmaker has told young Nigerians that they can no longer depend on the Federal Public Service for jobs.
Speaking during an induction program at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Ede, Osun State, Chair of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Ajibola Basiru (pictured) said there had been an expectation in the past that there would be jobs in the bureaucracy after the one year of mandatory service.
Instead, he urged his audience to develop their entrepreneurial skills to fit seamlessly into the present economic reality.
“The days of waiting endlessly for job opportunities in Government Agencies can no longer be sustained economically,” Senator Basiru said.
“More than 70 per cent of the Federal Government Budget is going into debt servicing and overheads and there are little resources available for core economic activities,” he said.
However, Senator Basiru said the situation was not as gloomy as people painted it to be and there would be many opportunities for Corps members to contribute to the economy with their skills, which were in high demand.
The Senate Committee Chair also called for a reform of the educational system, which he said was largely based on theory, to be more practical-based.
Meanwhile, a lawyer has filed a suit against the Enugu State Governor claiming Public Service retirees had not been paid their pensions, with some still waiting after 10 years.
Chukwunonye Ogbe filed the suit at the National Industrial Court in Enugu.
Mr Ogbe is suing for himself and on behalf of former employees of the State Government and Local Government areas of the State.
He is asking the court to require the Governor and relevant Agencies to pay the pensions and other gratuities to affected retirees who had left the service since 1 June, 2011.
Abuja, 11 December 2021
