WHEN NIGERIAN GRADUATES BEGIN TO LOSE THEIR LIVES IN SEARCH OF JOBS: A CALL FOR ACTION Saturday 15th March, 2014 was a sad day in the life of our country, Nigeria. We lost 10 Nigerian youth whose only crime was searching for a job. 10 Nigerian dreams. And many more sustained varying degrees of injury. These Nigerian youth did not die in the hands of terrorists. They died during a stampede at the National Stadium, Abuja — the Federal Capital territory (FCT), venue of a recruitment test by the Nigeria Immigrations Service (NIS). Or maybe they did die in the hands of another kind of terrorism — failed leadership. 4,556. That is the number of vacant positions to be filled in the NIS. But according to the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, up to 520,000 applicants participated in the exercise. Each applicant had less than .01% chance of getting a job. This is the same Nigeria where the administration claims to have created more than 1.6 million jobs for the youth. 10 Lives have been lost. The seriously injured, admitted. Many Nigerians believe it would be business as usual. That there will be NO CONSEQUENCES. That there will be NO SANCTIONS. That there will be NO ACTIONS. But we say NO! We say NO against this irresponsible act by the management of the NIS. We say NO to the irresponsible act of the Minister of Interior. We say NO to the low value now placed on Nigerian graduates and the lives of Nigerian youths. It is shameless for the NIS to have required application fees from the large number of applicants. An estimated 8.5million people are alleged to have applied with N1000 per person. Against the worsening socio-economic situation in the country, such action amounts to a systemic extortion of the jobless youths. As reported on Dailyindependnig on October 7, 2013, the Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, Mrs. Fatima Bamidele had pacified a group of youths under the aegis of Nigerian Unemployed Youth Vanguard (NUYV)protesters over the application fees. She had said that the N1000 it charged the applicants was intended to save the teeming jobseekers the transportation cost to Abuja and reduce other related risks and abuses associated with the manual processing of applications. However, it was alleged that the consultancy job was contracted out to the wife of a prominent Senator. The National Assembly is said to have ordered a refund. It was not obliged. And nothing happened, as usual. What happened on Saturday 15th March, 2014 is also an indictment on the administration, particularly the claims of the Ministry of Finance on job creation in the country. Where are the 1.5 million jobs? The rate of unemployment in the country has been rising dangerously since the life of this administration. Even if we agree with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that the country’s unemployment rate was 23.9% in 2011, the current rate is certainly alarmingly higher. The administration may have been playing politics with the true figure as the rise in the rate of unemployment since 2011 is far worse. It is a national shame. A shame to the Controller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service. It is a shame to the Nigeria Immigration Services. A shame to the Minister of Interior. A shame to the Ministry of Finance. A shame to the administration. A shame to the Presidency. And it is a collective shame to the Nigerian people. We all have failed. Everyone of us. We ask for action. There must be individual responsibility for what happened on Saturday 15th March, 2014! To say that the applicants impatience caused the deaths is a shameless excuse that exposes the level of irresponsibility of the Minister of Interior. Any failure, refusal or neglect on the part of the President to ACT as the Head of Government will be held against the Presidency. The President has a moral responsibility, if not for anything, for the lives of those guiltless Nigerian youth who only needed a job in their fatherland. What happened on Saturday 15th March, 2014 is also a cry. A call. A message. A cry for justice in our nation. A call for true leadership for our people. A message to every Nigerian that we can no more afford to fold our hands, and watch our future taken from us. We must stand for equality and equity. We must stand for truth and justice. We must stand for good governance and accountability, transparency and integrity. We must stand, ever united in one vision for freedom and democracy, against corruption. We must not continue to destroy Nigeria, using its crumbling blocks to build false foundations for other nations of elected thieves, tribal warriors, and political detractors. Even in every Nigerian family, there are differences. These are sensitive times. Its not about the PDP or APC. Its not about the tribal marks or your mother tongue. Its not about Jesus or Muhammad, or even the gods. Its about our humanity. Its about our being Nigerian. Its about equal opportunities in a democratic society. Its about your future. And the future is now. Sign the petition | Sack the Comptroller -General of Nigerian Immigration Serivice · Change.org - https://change.org/en-GB/petitions/dr-goodluck-jonathan-gcfr-bner-gcon-sack-the-comptroller-general-of-nigerian-immigration-service May the souls of the ten young Nigerians find rest. Believe in You! Believe in Nigeria! c/o The Think Tank: The Platform Follow us on Twitter: @theplatformnig
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 08:27:39 +0000
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