The Federal Character Commission Commissioner representing Enugu State, Peter Eze, has called on youths in the state to take advantage of federal employment opportunities rather than assume that such jobs are reserved for politically connected individuals.
Eze made the call on Thursday at the Peter Eze Youth Connect workshop held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu. The programme was themed, “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission.”
According to the commissioner, misinformation and longstanding misconceptions about federal recruitment have prevented many qualified youths from applying for available positions.
“One of the major reasons for this unfortunate situation is the existence of generational fallacies, erroneous impressions and misleading assumptions that advertised or publicised Federal Public Service and other public service jobs have already been shared or given out even before they are publicly advertised,” Eze said.
He advised prospective applicants against ruling themselves out of recruitment processes based on fears that vacancies had already been allocated, stressing that interested candidates must first apply to stand a chance of being considered.
“No player has ever won a football match outside the pitch. Let me, therefore, use this opportunity to emphasise that you can barely get an opportunity you do not apply for,” he said.
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Eze explained that the FCC was constitutionally mandated to ensure equitable representation in federal establishments. He added that more than 700 federal ministries, departments, agencies, commissions and other establishments provide employment and related opportunities.
“You do not need to buy a job; you need to prepare yourself,” he said, cautioning youths against middlemen and individuals who demand money in exchange for legitimate government employment.
Beyond employment, Eze said the workshop was intended to connect youths with opportunities including grants, scholarships, fellowships and training programmes.
He disclosed that five participants would be chosen to receive full scholarships for study abroad.
The commissioner also said the initiative would continue after the workshop through the creation of a network where young people could obtain and share verified information on legitimate opportunities.
“Let nobody make you believe that you need a godfather before you can succeed. Get the information. Follow the process. Prepare yourself. Apply. Compete. And pursue your opportunity,” Eze said.