Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Mrs Ayo Omidiran said on Thursday that federal government jobs are open to all Nigerians regardless of their social status, stressing that such opportunities are not for sale.

She reiterated that no government agency would be allowed to deny any state its fair share of employment opportunities under the federal character principle.

Omidiran gave the charge in Enugu during a youth enlightenment programme title “Peter Eze Youth Connect” that attracted thousands of youths from across the state.

The Peter Eze Youth Connect programme, convened by the Commissioner representing Enugu State at the FCC, Peter Eze, had the theme: “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission.”

Omidiran, told the gathering that the FCC, under her leadership, would not accept the short-changing of any state by any government agency.

According to her, no reason would be accepted for diverting the employment quota of one state to another.

Omidiran said, “The Federal Character Commission has widened the opportunity gap. What we have done is to make opportunities for everyone closer.

“We have decided that more and more agencies should advertise when they have vacancies for employment.

“The reason we do this is because we feel that there is no area in Nigeria where you will not find people capable of doing any job. You just need to search further and wider.

“We do not want a closed gap where, when we have opportunities, only a few people who also know influential people will be able to have access to them.

“That way, we are shutting down some of the best people we have in this country. Now that we are making that opportunity available to all and sundry, I want to beg you to seize the moment.

“Do not say they are giving it to their children. We are making it open for everybody to apply. Apply.

“The Federal Character Commission we are building is the one that can make everybody feel a huge part of Nigeria.

“But you cannot sit down in your home, you don’t apply anywhere and expect that this opportunity will now get to you from your house.”

Ayo further stated that “the challenge before us is not a shortage of talent, but the creation of credible pathways through which talent can be transformed into productivity, innovation, employment and, therefore, prosperity.”

Earlier in his speech, Eze demystified the belief in several quarters that federal jobs were always traded off even before they were advertised.

He told Nigerian youths to resist the temptation to make payments to people who promise to secure jobs for them.

He said the essence of the programme was to adequately inform the youths about the numerous employment opportunities available in the Federal Public Service and other government institutions.

“There are over 700 Federal Government ministries, departments, agencies, commissions and other establishments providing employment and other opportunities across the country.

“The Commission has the constitutional and statutory responsibility to promote equitable representation and ensure that the principles of federal character are respected across these federal institutions,” he disclosed.

The Commissioner added that he had come to the realisation that many youths, particularly job seekers, had missed or failed to utilise the numerous opportunities available to them through the laws, mandate and programmes of the Federal Character Commission to secure meaningful employment in different ministries, departments and agencies.

“One of the major reasons for this unfortunate situation is the existence of generational fallacies, erroneous impressions and misleading assumptions that advertised or publicised Federal Public Service and other public service jobs have already been shared or given out even before they are publicly advertised.

“This mentality, which is often promoted and propagated by people who ought to know better, has deterred, discouraged and dissuaded many qualified job seekers from doing the needful, which is to apply for available opportunities and follow the process through to the end,” he further stated, while emphasising that “you can barely get an opportunity you do not apply for.”

“Our people must not disqualify themselves through fear, misinformation or the assumption that the outcome has already been predetermined.

“You do not need to buy a job; you need to prepare yourself.

“Anyone asking you to pay for a legitimate government job is asking you to participate in an illegal act and should be reported through the appropriate channels,” he advised the youths.

He charged the youths to take advantage of the Youth Connect programme and expand their search for life-changing opportunities.

“Everyone cannot be accommodated in the Public Service. There are limitations in every MDA. But whatever opportunities are legitimately available to our people must not be lost because of ignorance, misinformation or lack of access to information,” he noted.

In a keynote speech, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, described the opportunities presented at the event as “something remarkable”.

“Five young people, as the convener had talked about, will receive a fully funded scholarship to study in the United States of America, right? That is very important.

“So this is not just a scholarship, this is five lives that will be changed, five families and five young people whose possibilities may be changed completely just from the opportunities they will get from the work that our brother is doing,” he said.

He said besides the scholarship, graduates would receive guidance on how to present themselves competitively in the labor market, adding that “entrepreneurs will have access to new connections. That is what the word connect in today’s program really means.”