Governor Obaseki orders employment of 4,200 youths

By Lucky Isibor

In line with his promise to create at least 200,000 jobs within 4 years, the Governor of Edo state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has ordered the employment of 4,200 youths across the state under the Edo state public works programme from 1st July, 2017.

In a statement endorsed by the governor’s Chief of Staff, it was also revealed that Governor Obaseki had directed the engagement and training of 50 civil engineers to supervise the public works programme, and that the successful applicants were sourced from the database of unemployed youths developed by the government for the Edo Jobs initiative.

According to the Chief of Staff, “The new employed beneficiaries will work across the state on 45 inner roads selected under this special window. The governor also promised to engage another set of 4,200 in August 2017 under another window that will see the state government constructing and maintaining another set of 55 roads, culminating in almost 100 kilometres across the state.”

He further enjoined the workers to be dedicated for the period of their engagement with the state government, as it would eventually amount to experience gathering and capacity building.

Meanwhile, to complement jobs originating from road construction, the state government also finalised arrangements to train young electrical and electronic engineers under a special arrangement with Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

The programme, it emerged, would build the capacity of young men and women on the practical side of electrical engineering in line with the ‘Electrify Edo project’, which kicked off with the signing of a power purchase agreement between the government and, at different times, Siemens AG and Ossiomo Power limited, few months ago.