By Daniel Dauda, Jos
Plateau state governor, Mr.
Simon Lalong made a string of promises during his long and tediouscampaign to be re-elected as governor of the state in the last election, one of the issues that made headlines during the 2019 All Progressives Congress (APC)  gubernatorial election campaigns in Plateau state was the that of providing employment into the state civil service as the unemployment rate in the state was high.
To further demonstrate its seriousness, the APC led administration in the state through the State civil service commission, in the months of  November and December, 2018, made a pronouncement for recruitment to fill in the existing vacancies in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), in line with civil service guideline.

Many believed that it was ardent, timely and a well-thought out initiative by the government since there was massive retirement, or better still people are retiring year-in-year-out without replacement or employment since previous administrations of Senator Joshua Dariye and Senator Jonah David Jang place embargo on any for of recruitmentof workers.

However, government also went further and gave procedures that for any applicant to be guaranteed participation in the recruitment exercise, they most go to the bank and pay the sum of five hundred Naira (N500), before going to Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS) to generate tax identification number (TIN Number) and thereafter proceed to the state civil service commission and obtain the application form.

Not minding the stress and rudiments associated with the procedure of obtaining the form, thousands of applicants across the 17 local government areas of the state applied with the hope that APC will make good on their election campaign promises of creating more jobs.

The EYEWITNESS gathered that, about thirty thousand (30,000) candidates applied for employment and equally sat for an interview which was held around June 2019 after a long wait. Also about N15 million was generated in the employment racket.

Our correspondent also gathered  that interviews were conducted in batches across the three senatorial zones of the state in which candidates from the southern zone held their own in Shendam, central zone in Pankshin and northern zone in Jos South Local Government Areas respectively.

Some of the applicants that spoke with our correspondent said  they were told that the outcome of the interview will be made known to them in August 2019, but unfortunately they are still waiting in vain, they said the situation is making  majority of them to begin to doubt the sincerity of the Governor Simon Lalong led APC administration in the state.
To make matters worse none of the agencies of government is willing to volunteer any definite information about what is happening thereby casting further doubt on the sincerity of government and its agents.
Speaking to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity some applicants expressed fears on whether the whole exercise is genuine as government seems to be inconsistent and lack sincerity.
Many were quick to align their submissions to what other pundits  earlier claimed that the exercise was nothing rather than  a strategy towards generating funds for the last election campaign and also gaining votes.

“The whole exercise looks like a scam, this confirmed the assertion by the opposition  PDP that it was a strategy to raise campaign funds and also to woo the votes of desperate job seekers,” this were the words of one of the applicants.
Speaking to our correspondent in Mangu, Comfort John, an applicant appealed to the state government to fulfill its promise of providing jobs to applicants in the state, especially the youths, so that the problem of crime and insecurity can reduce.

According to her, if the promise was made in the interest of the citizens of the state it has to be implemented, but if it was made as a political statement there would certainly be repercussions.

“The honor of the government and its integrity is to keep to that promise and that pledge if not, it is going to affect the relationship between the people of the state and the government, ‘’she said.
Comfort added that the implementation of the campaign promise was long overdue as non employed youths in the state are facing various challenges and hardships.
You would recall, in his second term acceptance speech, Governor Lalong categorically stated that: “The next four years will be devoted to consolidating on the gains already made and expanding more areas of development for the benefit of Plateau people.”
He also explained that: “Governance is a two-way traffic, involving a social contract of duties and obligations between the government and the governed. Good governance presupposes loyalty, hard work, effective service delivery, and leaving behind a legacy worthy of emulation by subsequent generation.
“Our Humanism will be based on the principles that people need freedom and self-determination; that people should be respected and held in high esteem, rather than means of negative governmental action; that people are fundamentally social in nature and therefore value or cherish community life.
” Above all, people have the right to seek truth and oppose authoritarian rule.”He concluded.

Going by Governor Lalong’s assertion, it is high time for government to rise up and put its words to action in the interest of  justice, fairness and accountability to dust down the already existing tension and restore the confidence of the masses.

On the foregoing therefore, the question begging for an answer is. When will the said employment become a reality?
All efforts to reach the Head of Civil Service, Mr. Izam Azi, after several phone calls for an update on the issue proved abortive.