Fubara Approves Fresh Recruitment of 5,000 Workers, Denies Disrespecting Tinubu
The Rivers State Government has approved the recruitment of 5,000 qualified indigenes into the state civil service, as officials dismissed reports alleging that Governor Siminalayi Fubara removed President Bola Tinubu’s official portrait from Government House in Port Harcourt.
The decision was taken at the State Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday and presided over by Governor Fubara, with Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu in attendance.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo, said the recruitment was part of ongoing efforts to improve public service delivery, particularly in the education sector.
According to him, 3,000 of the new employees will be posted to basic and primary schools, while 2,000 will serve in post-primary institutions.
Sirawoo noted that the latest approval increases the total number of persons engaged by the present administration to about 9,500, recalling earlier recruitments in tertiary education, medical services and basic education agencies.
He assured that the new hiring process would be transparent and based strictly on merit.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr Chisom Kenneth Gbali, described the approval as a significant step in expanding job opportunities and strengthening the state’s economic inclusion agenda.
The recruitment announcement comes against the backdrop of political disagreements in the state. Former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had earlier accused the Fubara administration of cancelling a 10,000-youth employment scheme initiated under his tenure.
Meanwhile, the state government rejected claims circulating on social media that Governor Fubara removed President Tinubu’s portrait from Government House. In a statement released Tuesday evening, Sirawoo described the allegation, attributed to a youth group spokesperson, as false and provocative.
He stated that the state government holds no policy or intention that undermines the authority of the President or the Federal Government, adding that the governor maintains a cooperative relationship with the presidency.
The government warned residents against spreading unverified claims capable of heightening political tension.
In a related development, the Rivers State chapter of the Trade Union Congress expressed concern over the prolonged political crisis in the state, saying it has affected service delivery. The TUC chairman, Dr Udoka Josiah, cited worsening waste management conditions in parts of Port Harcourt and called for collective efforts to restore stability.
Josiah, however, commended the ongoing renovation of the State Secretariat Complex, saying the improved work environment would boost civil servants’ efficiency. He also advised the government to revive abandoned hospitality and sports facilities to prevent asset deterioration and create more employment opportunities.
Separately, the Association of Community Health Practitioners in Rivers State appealed to the government to recruit additional health workers to address staff shortages in medical facilities.
Its chairperson, Dr Justin Onuwa, said more personnel and logistics support were urgently needed for effective healthcare delivery.
