The Rivers State Executive Council has approved the employment of 5000 youths into the State Civil Service.
The approval was given during its meeting on Wednesday 28th, October 2020, which was presided over by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and held at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the State Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Mr. Sylvanus Nwankwo said the youths must not be more than 35 years.
He said there were existing vacancies in the civil service for engineers, lawyers, medical doctors, technicians and other fields that the youths would fill.
Also addressing journalists, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said the recruitment drive undertaken by the Wike administration would bridge the employment gap in the state.
Nsirim also said that the council approved that civil servants that were asked to stay back at home during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown were to resume work on Monday 2, 2020.
“Civil servants on grade level 1 to 10 who have been at home because of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown are to resume work on Monday, November 2nd 2020. Similarly, bars that have been closed down since the COVID-19 lockdown are to open, while night clubs will remain closed” he said.
According to the Commissioner, the council also approved a minor cabinet reshuffle that has moved the commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs to take charge of the Ministry of Works.
He said the current Commissioner for Works will now head the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning, while the commissioner he is replacing moves to the Ministry of Transport.
Nsirim stated that the current Commissioner for Transport will now be in charge of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs.
The Information Commissioner also said the council decided that the Rebisi Flyover would be inaugurated on November 7, 2020, by the Minister of Work, Babatunde Fashola (SAN).
Nsirim informed that the public bars that were closed for business due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic would now open, while night clubs would l remain closed.
On his part, the Commissioner for Youths, Prince Ohia said the council approval for the employment of 5000 youths showed that governor Wike was youth-friendly.
