Applicants for the federal government’s 774,000 jobs in Benue State have expressed worry over the delay in take-off of the scheme.
President Muhammadu Buhari approved the engagement of 1,000 persons each from all the 774 local government areas of the country to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.
But, the programme has not yet been flagged off in Benue even as speculations are rife that politicians have hijacked the process.
Ejeh Michael, one of the applicants from Otukpo LGA, told our correspondent by telephone that he has not heard anything since he filled and returned the form to the appropriate quarter.
Another applicant, Samson Attah of Ado LGA, also expressed disappointment with the process, saying that he did not understand the silence, which trailed the exercise in the state.
The state coordinator of the scheme, Arc. Samuel Gberindyer, however, said that the exercise would be flagged off this Saturday.
Our correspondent, however, learnt that the delay might not be unconnected with the unwillingness of the state’s National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to release the tools and necessary kits in its possession to the beneficiaries.
But, the Head of Information/Public Relations of NDE in the state, Friday Ekwo, who also confirmed that the exercise would be flagged off on Saturday, said politicians had hijacked the programme.
Ekwo noted that the names, which the NDE had earlier compiled and was working with had been jettisoned by the authority from above and now leaving the establishment with the uncompleted list submitted by a political party.
He explained that the list sent to the NDE for the Saturday flag off was still short of 11,000 persons
But, the state coordinator for the scheme, Gberindyer, insisted that the entire 23,000 slots needed for the job have been duly documented and ready.
