Mixed reactions have trailed
President Goodluck Jonathan’s
approval of a Special Presidential
Committee to assist the
Immigration Department to re-
conduct the aborted recruitment.
THe department had on March 15,
conducted the exercise during
which many applicants died and
others wounded from stampedes
in the venues.
Some stakeholders and applicants
of the aborted exercise, who
spoke on Friday in Abuja, said the
decision was a good development.
Others were of the opinion that
setting up a committee to conduct
fresh recruitment was premature
as adequate compensation to
victims of the exercise was yet to
be made.
Mr Frank Tietie, the Executive
Director, Citizens Advocacy for
Social and Economic Rights
(CASER), said it was important for
victims to be compensated before
a fresh exercise was conducted.
He said that the issue of
infringement on the rights of
applicants was yet to be
addressed, adding that
compensation given to the dead
and injured applicants had no legal
effect.
Tietie explained that there were
adequate laws that provided
compensation for victims in the
circumstance and the Federal
Government was yet to adhere to
them.
“The compensation announced by
government is not legal as there is
adequate law in place that talks
about the kind of compensation to
be given to victims.
“We are presently working to see
that the law of the country as it
affects this matter is adhered to,”
he said.
“We saw how immigration officers
beat and mishandled applicants on
the day of the exercise and these
officers have not been sacked.
He said that the civil defence
corps, fire service, immigration
and prisons board should be
investigated rather than being
allowed to carry out a fresh
recruitment.
He criticised the manner in which
previous NIS recruitment were
carried out.
Tietie said If there were proper
investigations, the March 15
tragedy would have been avoided.
He advised that the committee
set up by the president to conduct
fresh recruitment into the NIS be
put on hold.
Tietie said this would allow for
proper investigations and
prosecution of officers who were
in charge of conducting the March
15 exercise.
Dr. Simon Dolly, the National
President, Youth Wing Christian
Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN),
said setting up a committee was a
good development.
He said that the compensation
given to the families of the dead
and injured victims was, however,
inadequate, adding that
government needed to do more.
“Government should further
compensate their families by
training them in schools up to the
university level.
“They should be given at least 5
job slots and financial
compensations should also be
given.” Dolly said.
He noted that if fresh recruitment
was made, the youth would still
participate as the high level of
unemployment in the country did
not give them any other choice.
He advised that applicants who
would be employed after the fresh
exercise should be based on
merit.
He called on government to
create job opportunities for
youths not only in the
immigration service but other
sectors of the economy.
“Our youths have the zeal and
ability to contribute their best in
the development of the country
so they should be given the
opportunity to do so.”
The national president said the
success of the 2015 election
depended largely on government’s
ability to engage as many youths
as possible before the elections.
President Goodluck Jonathan’s
approval of a Special Presidential
Committee to assist the
Immigration Department to re-
conduct the aborted recruitment.
THe department had on March 15,
conducted the exercise during
which many applicants died and
others wounded from stampedes
in the venues.
Some stakeholders and applicants
of the aborted exercise, who
spoke on Friday in Abuja, said the
decision was a good development.
Others were of the opinion that
setting up a committee to conduct
fresh recruitment was premature
as adequate compensation to
victims of the exercise was yet to
be made.
Mr Frank Tietie, the Executive
Director, Citizens Advocacy for
Social and Economic Rights
(CASER), said it was important for
victims to be compensated before
a fresh exercise was conducted.
He said that the issue of
infringement on the rights of
applicants was yet to be
addressed, adding that
compensation given to the dead
and injured applicants had no legal
effect.
Tietie explained that there were
adequate laws that provided
compensation for victims in the
circumstance and the Federal
Government was yet to adhere to
them.
“The compensation announced by
government is not legal as there is
adequate law in place that talks
about the kind of compensation to
be given to victims.
“We are presently working to see
that the law of the country as it
affects this matter is adhered to,”
he said.
“We saw how immigration officers
beat and mishandled applicants on
the day of the exercise and these
officers have not been sacked.
He said that the civil defence
corps, fire service, immigration
and prisons board should be
investigated rather than being
allowed to carry out a fresh
recruitment.
He criticised the manner in which
previous NIS recruitment were
carried out.
Tietie said If there were proper
investigations, the March 15
tragedy would have been avoided.
He advised that the committee
set up by the president to conduct
fresh recruitment into the NIS be
put on hold.
Tietie said this would allow for
proper investigations and
prosecution of officers who were
in charge of conducting the March
15 exercise.
Dr. Simon Dolly, the National
President, Youth Wing Christian
Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN),
said setting up a committee was a
good development.
He said that the compensation
given to the families of the dead
and injured victims was, however,
inadequate, adding that
government needed to do more.
“Government should further
compensate their families by
training them in schools up to the
university level.
“They should be given at least 5
job slots and financial
compensations should also be
given.” Dolly said.
He noted that if fresh recruitment
was made, the youth would still
participate as the high level of
unemployment in the country did
not give them any other choice.
He advised that applicants who
would be employed after the fresh
exercise should be based on
merit.
He called on government to
create job opportunities for
youths not only in the
immigration service but other
sectors of the economy.
“Our youths have the zeal and
ability to contribute their best in
the development of the country
so they should be given the
opportunity to do so.”
The national president said the
success of the 2015 election
depended largely on government’s
ability to engage as many youths
as possible before the elections.
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