Yobe graduates fault employment process, allege political patronage

A group of unemployed graduates in Yobe State has accused the state government of marginalisation and lack of transparency in the recruitment process into the state civil service, alleging that political patronage and access to influential individuals have become important factors in securing the state government’s employment.

The graduates, who spoke exclusively to Arewa PUNCH, said their hopes of securing government jobs were fast fading, after spending several years without employment despite completing their studies and, in some cases, the mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme.

They alleged that qualified applicants without connections to government officials or influential political figures often found it difficult to secure appointments, thus, expressing concern over what they described as a recruitment process that had not provided equal opportunities for all eligible applicants.

One of the graduates, Hassan Umar Gadaka, a graduate of the College of Administration, Management and Technology, said he graduated about four years ago and had completed the mandatory NYSC programme but was yet to secure a government job.

Gadaka disclosed that his tailoring skills had become his major source of livelihood while he continued to search for employment.

He said, “If you don’t know someone in government in Yobe, you will never get a job. It is my tailoring skills that are sustaining me.

“I graduated about four years ago and completed my NYSC, but I am still without a government job. The government will not announce recruitment process; they only used to share appointment slots to politicians and the likes.

“We are calling on the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, to look into this and ensure that qualified graduates are given an opportunity to compete for available positions.”

Gadaka urged the government to make vacancies public and allow qualified applicants to compete through an open recruitment process.

He added, “If there is recruitment, let the government announce it publicly and allow qualified people to apply. We are not asking for automatic employment; we are asking for a fair opportunity,” he stressed.

Another graduate, Yahaya Badamasi, who holds a master’s degree from Ahmadu Bello University, said he had more than 20 years of teaching experience but was yet to secure government’s employment.

Badamasi said his qualifications and professional experience had not translated into a government job despite his readiness to work, adding that he believed the recruitment process should give qualified applicants an opportunity to compete.

Continuing, he insisted, “In Yobe, you have to know someone before you can get a job. It is unfortunate that the government is not following the needed procedure of employment.

“I have over 20 years of teaching experience and I hold a master’s degree, but I am still looking for a government job.

“If there is a vacancy, qualified people should be allowed to apply and compete based on their qualifications and experience.”

Badamasi urged the government to clearly communicate available vacancies and the requirements to applicants whenever recruitment exercises were conducted.

He explained that by so doing, it would enable people with the necessary qualifications and experience to participate in the process without relying on personal connections.

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Similarly, Ibrahim Adamu, a graduate of the University of Maiduguri, said he graduated more than 10 years ago but was yet to be employed by the state government.

Adamu said he believed his lack of influential connections affected his chances of securing government employment.

He opened up, “I graduated over 10 years ago, but I am yet to be employed in the state because I do not know anyone influential in the state.

“We are asking the government to make recruitment open. If there is a vacancy, announce it, state the requirements and allow qualified people to apply.

“The government should also publish available vacancies in national dailies so that graduates across the state can have equal access to information about recruitment opportunities.”

The graduates appealed to the state government to regularly advertise vacancies in national dailies and on official platforms, saying applicants should have access to timely information about available positions.

They also urged the government to make recruitment criteria clear and provide information on the positions available, application procedures and required qualifications.

The graduates said publicising vacancies would enable eligible applicants to prepare and submit their applications based on clearly stated requirements.

They maintained that their demand was not for automatic employment but for an opportunity to compete for positions whenever vacancies existed.

The applicants also called on the state government to ensure that recruitment information was made available to graduates across the state, irrespective of their local government areas or access to influential individuals.

When contacted, the Head of Information, Office of the Head of Service, Alhassan Sule Mamudo debunked the allegations, insisting that the state government was transparent in its appointment process and did not base appointments solely on political patronage.e

He pointed out that the government was following the appropriate process in making appointments and was also considering vulnerable people, including orphans, where necessary.

Mamudo who further defended the state government noted that, “The state government is being transparent in giving appointments. We are following the process and ensuring that appointments are made appropriately.

“We are also considering orphans in appointments because the government believes that vulnerable people should be given attention where necessary.

“We are working to ensure confidence in the recruitment process and want people to have confidence that appointments are being handled properly.”

Although, stakeholders claim that Mamudo’s response did not specifically address the graduates’ allegation that appointment slots were being shared on the basis of political patronage.

Like alleged by the graduates, they maintained that vacancies should be publicly announced and only qualified applicants should be allowed to compete based on clearly stated requirements.