The Rivers State government, through the Executive Council, has approved the recruitment of 5,000 indigenes into the state government service to improve administrative efficiency and public service delivery. The approval was granted during the Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and attended by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu. The meeting took place on Tuesday at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honor Sirawoo, said the recruitment is focused on the education sector. He disclosed that 3,000 of the recruits will be deployed to basic and primary schools across the state, while another 2,000 will be assigned to post-primary schools.
According to him, the exercise is designed to strengthen service delivery within the education sector by addressing manpower gaps and supporting teaching outcomes across public schools. Sirawoo stated that the new approval brings the total number of employments under the Fubara administration to about 9,500.
He recalled earlier recruitment exercises carried out by the administration, including the employment of 2,000 personnel for medical services, 1,500 staff for Ignatius Ajuru University, and 1,000 workers for the Universal Basic Education system.
Emphasising transparency, Sirawoo said the recruitment process will be merit-based. “The process for the employment of these approved 5,000 persons will be well-guided to ensure that only qualified persons are recruited,” he said. He added that the administration remains committed to effective service delivery rather than publicity.
Also speaking to journalists, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Chisom Kenneth Gbali, welcomed the approval and described the decision as a boost, noting that his ministry stands as beneficiary of the policy plan.
