Unemployment and N.I.S

I bet you, the spectators for a world cup match cannot be as much as this. As at the period I was writing this, I became dumbfounded, I lost my senses of thought as I wonder what is happening in this country. Three days ago, I read a publication online. Its on the N.I.S, Nigeria Immigration Service aptitude test that is about to take place in various states in the country. I made enquiries if there could still be a place for me to participate. Maybe unfortunately or not, the space for registration was already closed. I almost cried having missed out, in the end maybe I would have had myself to blame, and moreover, I detest competition of such. Yes, that was a competition.

The information gathered this morning, March 16, 2014 had it that 520,000 applications participated in the Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment exercise, as against the available space which is 4,556. Earlier information had it that over 2million applicants participated as against around 3,000 slots.

Nationwide, it was reported that 18 persons including a pregnant woman lost their lives and many were injured and hospitalised in the exercise not only to secure a job but to be useful to the nation and allowed the opportunity to contribute towards the development of the nation.

Honestly, our leaders in all parts of the nation, including the directors of various government parastatals have lost their sense of morals. They lack “human” conscience. The unfortunate thing before these so-called recruitment exercises is that some persons with “long-legs” (big connections) have already been allocated spaces and given appointment letters in the services that the exercises are just formality. This is the “normal” in my country. I just wish this is going to be an eye opener to this Goodluck Jonathan administration, as it has also served as an eye-opener to everyone, especially those who are oblivion about what is going on in our nation as regards the rate of unemployment.

Before the recruitment exercises, the applicants had to pay a particular amount ranging from #1,000 and above to either to get a scratch card to gain access to the site to apply or purchase a form for application. Is this not another form of exhortation from these bodies?

Imagine a country like Nigeria being referred to as the giant of Africa with abundant mineral and human resources experiencing such unfortunate disaster, I must say, where you find the richest men in Africa and most wealthy politicians, tantamount to the richest country in West Africa, if not Africa at large. For God’s sake, when would all these end? Despite this alarming situation, you still read about our greed oriented politicians embezzling “our money” and banking them not only in foreign banks, but stocked in their underground.

When I was a kid, the normal cliché by the society was and is still “go to school, study hard; earn good grades; graduate and get a good job”. My brother, does this format really work in Nigeria? Unfortunately NO! One no longer get job by merit. It’s ironical that those who even get these jobs get them through the back doors or because they are highly connected not spiritually, but physically to the “ogas at the top”.
Well, its no longer news, but it is disheartening that we are undergoing this process at this time when the world is progressing. This unemployment has led to different unfortunate happenings in country. And it is solely caused by CORRUPTION.

Corruption in the power sector, petroleum, health, education, to mention but few, and even in the judiciary which suppose to be the tool fighting corruption are all participants in the unfortunate party called CORRUPTION. What happens when the tool to fight corruption itself is corrupt?
Sincerely, not that these men don’t know what to do; the fact remains, they are just stingy and possess a pale full of greed.

My country is rich in all aspects, yes! But our leaders are poor in conscience…. They are the problem. What do you think?

Posted by ODIN G.A