Some graduates in Oyo State recently enlisted for NPower, the Federal Government’s temporary job scheme for unemployed youths, have decried their non-posting to start the work the government claimed it has secured for them.

They also urged the Federal Government, especially the Office of the Vice President, to investigate and save them from the improper ways some Local Government areas in the state are managing the scheme.

This correspondent recalls that Mr. Laolu Akande, Special Adviser on Media to Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, recently claimed that the 200,000 unemployed youths across the 36 states and the Federal capital Territory (FCT) have been posted to their respective places of work. He claimed that those employed would start work and receive their stipend from December 1.

However, those who spoke at different locations on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, said what the VP’s Spokesman said is different from what is happening in Oyo State. They condemned a situation where none of them has knowledge of when and how to be placed in the scheme. They also lamented the way some local government councils in the state are running the job scheme with inexperienced staff.

One of them, who identified herself as Yinka, said she was surprised that in Lagelu Local Government Area, Iyana Offa, there is no one to attend to them during the submission of their credentials except serving NYSC corps members who ask them unnecessary questions.

She said: “How can serving corpers be given the task of screening us, when some of us had graduated even before some of the serving corpers got admission? It is very ridiculous that in Lagelu Local Government Area, it is the serving corpers that are screening us; it is like when you said the children should screening their parents. Very bad.

“Even though we have submitted our details, up till now we have not been called, placed or posted to where we suppose to work.

“Even, the process is too cumbersome where they ask for unnecessary documents such as NEPA bill and National ID card. What does NEPA bill have to do with verification when they have seen our names and other things on their list? They have the list already? Do they need to ask for NEPA bill before they screen us?”

Another beneficiary in Akinyele Local Government area, who gave her first name as Kehinde, a graduate of The Polytechnic Ibadan, said: “Yes, we have submitted our printout, but up till now we have not been posted. What is worrisome is the government said we have started to work; they promised that we will collect salary for this month of December. I pray it works out, though we have not heard anything from them.”

On his part, another beneficiary in Ibadan North East Local Government Area, Mr. Abass, said: “I don’t know why Oyo State is different. I have a friend who is in Osun State; he said he has been posted but we are yet to be posted. Even the way this thing is being handled is bad.”

Also commenting, another yet-to-be-placed beneficiary, Mr. Femi from Akinyele Local Government Area, urged the State Government to put the necessary machinery in place to ensure that the recruitment exercise is done properly so that the benefit will not elude them.

The Federal Government has since announced the employment of 200,000 youths in the first batch of the NPower scheme, out of the 500,000 it says will benefit from the programme.

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