Obinna Nwaoku, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Government has vowed to reverse the low registration level of youths of the state into the Nigerian Army.

Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Professor Ibibia Worika, described the poor response as a disservice to the nation.

Worika states this while receiving the 89 Regular Recruits Sensitisation team in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

He assured that the government would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to boost awareness and encourage more youths to participate in the recruitment exercise.

He said, “It pains me that the youths don’t seem to take advantage that is offered by the Nigerian military to be part of the establishment. It is painful indeed and I will speak with Permanent Secretary, Director of Press to scale up the sensitisation much more than it has ever been.”
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Worika assured the team that his office will do everything to ensure greater participation in the exercise.
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He said, ‎”Currently, we have written to local government authorities and we are talking to traditional authorities. We want to do more and we want to see if there are any gaps in the areas of sensitisation that has resulted in this level of abysmal performance from the state in the recruitment exercise.”
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‎Earlier in his Remarks, the Director Supply and Transport Unit, Nigerian Army Headquarters Abuja, Brigadier General Wiito Nzidee, said the awareness campaign was kick-started to ensure no region of the country is underrepresented in the Army and also to work with the resolve of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General, Olufemi Oluyede, that the quota of Rivers State indigenes in the Army should be met.
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‎”The state cannot do it all, Not everyone can work in government house as governor or a senator. Here is a free opportunity for people to be gainfully employed but either they are not aware or we are not helping them understand.
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‎”We are only visiting states that are not doing well, as at today since the portal was opened other states have 900, 1500 and 2000 person already applied but Rivers State has only 221 person that have applied,” he said.
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‎He explained that those states where more persons have applied will have more advantage to fill up the quota of those state who do not meet up their quota.

Nzidee added that the recruitment, which started from March 31 to May 17,.2025, is open to all Nigerians from the Age of 18 to 22 years for non tradesmen and up to 26 years for trades men who have acquired some skills.
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