The Bayelsa State Government has described the ongoing 92nd nationwide regular recruitment exercise into the Nigerian Army as an opportunity for unemployed youths to be gainfully employed, vowing to fill the statutory quota of about 750 slots allocated to Bayelsa.

Governor Douye Diri pledged the state government’s full support for the military sensitisation exercise when he received a delegation of the Nigerian Army led by Brigadier-General Ben Ogbuji in Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday.

Governor Diri, represented by his deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, assured the Army that his administration would mobilise all relevant government agencies and stakeholders, including the youths, to participate fully to ensure success of the exercise in the state.

Diri commended the military for its civilian-friendly disposition in contemporary times, and called for greater military-civil collaboration in the face of mounting national security challenges in the country.

His words: “The contemporary Nigerian military or army relations with the people has become very civil; the military has made it so civil; the fear that civilians cannot mix well with military personnel has been dispelled. We want to appreciate you on that.

“On the issue of sensitisation, our people have this general challenge of getting involved in some of these things. I remember a time I had packed some of the boys for recruitment into the army.

“They agreed with me they are ready, but one by one they sneaked out, while some of them were actually knocked off or disqualified for one reason or another.

“Thank you very much for the enlightenment and I believe that talking to the people more will be helpful. There is one statement you made that really caught my attention: ‘Whether Bayelsans fill their quota or not, the Nigerian Army would fill it.’

“We want to appreciate you profusely from the depth of our heart. On behalf of His Excellency the Governor, and the Government of Bayelsa State, I want to say a big thank you.

“In your sensitisation town-hall meeting with our people, you need to explain the recruitment qualifications and criteria such as physical fitness.

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“The recruitment is also a form of employment and we are talking about 28,000 potential recruits to be evenly distributed among all the states. With this fresh zeal, all of us in society, political leaders, traditional rulers, community leaders and those in governance should do our bit to ensure our quota is filled otherwise, others will take up our chances again in this recruitment exercise. So everyone must participate in this sensitisation programme.”

Brigadier-General Ben Ogbuji, noted that the military delegation was in the state for the sensitisation exercise on the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, who wants Bayelsa to take its full allocation in the 28,000 new recruitment slots recently approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Brigadier-General Ogbuji, who is Director of Coordination, Army War College, Abuja, pointed out that it had been observed over the years that Bayelsa had not been meeting its quota as required by the Constitution of Nigeria in Army recruitment exercises, a development that has necessitated the public sensitisation in the state.

He said the focus of their engagement was on the 92nd Regular Recruitment that is already ongoing, and to dispel some misconceptions and disinformation that have resulted in the general apathy among young Bayelsans towards the Nigerian Army recruitment programmes in the past.

According to him: “We are here this morning on a sensitisation visit in respect of the ongoing recruitment exercise for 92nd regular recruit intake of the Nigerian Army.

“Over the years, it has been observed that, unfortunately, the people of Bayelsa State have not been meeting up with their quota as required by the Constitution of Nigeria. And that concern has come to the notice of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

“So, in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice, he has sent us here to do a sensitisation to educate the people of Bayelsa State about the ongoing recruitment exercise, and also take the opportunity to dispel some of the disinformation and misconceptions that possibly would have caused that apathy towards the military recruitment exercises, so that the people of Bayelsa State can take their rightful place in the affairs of the military in the country.

“Because whether the state fill its quota or not, at the end of the day, people from other states fill that quota allocated to Bayelsa. It is the desire of the COAS that the people of Bayelsa State take their rightful place and that is basically why we are here this morning.” (The Nation)

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