Allegation of job sales rattles Delta council chairmen

From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Some chairmen of local government councils in Delta State have been unsettled by reports linking them with sales of job spaces following the recent approval by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for recruitment of primary school teachers.

The governor gave the approval last week for the recruitment of teachers, clerical staff and watchmen across 22 out of the 25 local government areas.

But some council chairmen, it was learnt, have shared the available spaces in their localities among elected and appointed council officials.

A source alleged that some of the spaces were either reserved for family members or girlfriends, while other allotees simply sold off the slots.

“Their decisions to allegedly trade off the job spaces is contrary to the governor’s directive who while giving the approval for the recruitment, warned that the exercise must be based on merit and not on favouritism and nepotism,” the source said. It was also learnt that though  some of the council chairmen are unfazed by the allegation, others, are making desperate efforts to cover up their tracks to avoid the wrath of the governor.

Chairman of the state chapter of All Local Government Of Nigeria (ALGON), Victor Ebonka, however,  dismissed the allegation, saying there was no f employment racketeering in whatever guise among council chairmen in the state.

Ebonka, who is the chairman of Ika North-East Local Government Area, said the allegation “originated from the pit of hell, it was born out of mischief, and it is the handwork of mischievous persons. Nobody is selling any job. Why should a council chairman sell a job slot, how much are you going to give to a council chairman for a job slot?”

He said the recruitment, as directed by the governor, would follow due process.

“There is a regulatory agency, SUBEB, in charge. The officers will soon carry out the usual publication local government by local government. It’s a simple procedure.  How much is NCE job that somebody will sell? The number of those to be employed is not even much, some councils employ 30, some 40 and some 50. Is that what somebody will be selling?”