By Temitope Oluwole

At every single forum he has the opportunity, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has been harping on the importance of employment generation to make life more meaningful for the people of the state as a means of stamping out societal vices.

To him, Ogun State is a very blessed state both in terms of natural resources and human capital. Thus, the Amosun-led government believes that a well coordinated employment generation programme is just what the teeming population of youths in the state needed to enjoy a decent life and by extension contribute their quota towards the quest of the government in rebuilding the state.

Realising the significance of this, the governor incorporated the issue of employment generation in his five cardinal agenda. The agenda include affordable qualitative education; efficient health care delivery; increased agriculture production/industrialisation; affordable housing/urban renewal; and rural and infrastructural development and employment generation.

Without much ado, Governor Amosun rolled out his first major plan tagged Ogun State Rapid Employment Generation Programme aimed at meaningfully engaging 10,000 people in his administration’s first 100 days. Headed by the state Deputy Governor, Prince Segun Adesegun ably supported by state Commissioner for Special Duties, Prince Lanre Tejuoso, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Elizabeth Sonubi among others, the committee expressed its determination to fulfill the governor’s inaugural resolve to create 10,000 jobs within 100 days.

The application forms were made available physically at the 20 local government secretariats across the state and prospective applicants also had opportunity to apply online via www.ogunstate.gov.ng

All said and done within two weeks of the programme, the committee received over 31,000 applications from online, while 20,000 printed copies of the job application forms were distributed across the 20 local governemnt areas of the state. This clearly depicts that indeed employment generation is a growing concern in Ogun State.

Prior to this time, Governor Amosun had demonstrated his father-figure posture as he re-assured about 2,000 workers engaged in the twilight of the last administration.

A six-man committee was set up to review their appointments and make necessary recommendations on their eligibility for appointments into the state civil service. Headed by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka (Chairman), the committee also has as members the Commissioner for Education, Barrister Segun Odubela; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Muyiwa Oladipo; Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals, Mrs. Hafsat Abiola-Costello; the Permanent secretaries of Civil Service Commission; and the Bureau of Establishment and Training.

The governor by this action has shown that his administration is not interested in making life miserable for anybody, but it’s rather committed to its five cardinal programmes to make life better for all the people of Ogun State.

*Temitope Oluwole writes from 2B Olusesi Osoba Way, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, Ogun State.