BY MONICA OGBAUDU
IN his bid to define effective consolidated structures in job creation, Senator Ede Dafinone has unveiled an overview of strong support network needed to address the challenge of unemployment and underrepresentation confronting ethnic group.
In achat with members of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ughelli chapel, in Ughelli, Delta State, the Senator affirmed that Urhobos in Abuja had identified and built support network to assist others at securing employment, contracts and appointments in government agencies.
He said he was initially strict about endorsing only qualified applicants seeking jobs or contracts at his assumption in office but over time he has come to realized that, those who eventually secured these positions were not necessarily more qualified.
“At every given instant, l would scrutinized every paper and tell them, you can’t do this job because you are not qualified but l later found out that, the person who eventually got the job also had no qualifications. He only went there, hustled and got it. So now, l give the letter and tell my people to go and hustle it out too, though not everyone will succeed but some will”.
“We roll out red carpet that will fast track securement of jobs or contracts through endorsement so that, what would have taken one week will take just two hours. If a Managing Director or Director Generalfrom another region is employing100 persons and decides to take 90 from his own area, an Urhobo man should not be afraid to employ 50 when given same opportunity,, “ he said.
He urged Urhobo ethnic nationality to desist from seeing themselves as second class citizens in Nigeria, emphasizing that those occupying positions of authority owe it a duty to use their offices for the betterment of their people, saying that was why leaders from other part of the country are never apologetic about favouring their people in matters of employment and appointments.
He noted that his mission at the Senate was not about seeking personal recognition or laying claim to leadership, rather, it was about igniting a collective consciousness of Urhobo unity and progress even as he attributed his office to the people adding that solving the problem of the young people should be a collective efforts and not individual.
He pledged to continue to use his office to empower as many Urhobos as possible as he called on others, holding influential positions to make deliberate efforts to employ two or more from their ethnic groups annually in order to reduce unemployment challenges.
In his remark, the Chairman, Ughelli Correspondence Chapel, NUJ, Comrade Sunday Apah noted the commitment of the union to work closely with the office of the Senator to promote his works and activities.
