Cleric faults engagement of consultants to employ 10,000 job seekers

Chukwunenye, at the weekend, faulted the practice adopted by the State government, during the second session of the first synod of the diocese held at Emmanuel Church, Ubulu, Oru West Local Council of the state. About 15 bishops and archbishops attended the forum

The cleric, who also spoke on the state of the nation, anchoring it on the topic: “Who is on the Lord’s side” in a 122-page presidential address written by him, criticised the rationale behind engaging consultants to employ unemployed Imo people instead of the channel of utilising the existing Civil Service Commission which has such statutory duties.

The Guardian on the editorial of its May 4 edition criticised the employment process and payment of N2,000 per each job seeker to scratch card.

Though Chukwunenye applauded the successes recorded by the “Clean and Green Initiative” and the use of Imo Rural Road Maintenance Agency (IROMA) and banning of commercial motorcyclists in the Owerri metropolis by the present government headed by Governor Ikedi Ohakim, the cleric said: “While we appreciate the success made by government in these areas, we urge it to adopt fairness, transparency and equity as the major criteria for employment of 10,000 graduates in the state. The idea of engaging consultants for the employment exercise instead of the normal Civil Service Commission is a waste of the state’s merge resources. This idea should be discarded. The consultancy fees to be paid to these consultants should be used to employ more than the proposed 10,000 graduates.”

On corruption, he said: “It is now time to call ourselves to order”. He noted that in civilised societies, anti-social tendencies and corruption are not tolerated: “The effect of rebranding campaign of the Federal Government will be felt and assessed to have succeeded when Nigerians both in and outside government will shun dishonesty and dipsomania and embrace transparency, dignity of labour and patriotism.”

On the electoral reform issue, the bishop urged both government and the National Assembly to carry and enshrine the Uwais committee report in Nigeria’s constitution.

“This government should do Nigerians a lot of good if the electoral reforms as proposed by Justice Uwais committee is fully carried out and enshrined in our constitution. The National Assembly must not fail Nigerians on this issue,” he advised.

The cleric, who used the occasion to deplore an attempt by someone from Ubulu to dispossess them of three plots of land purchased by the diocese at the cost of N1 million, also disclosed that about 15 bishops were consecrated by the church in the country in the past one year while five retired within the same period.