Crisis loomed in Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) as youths from the Ese Odo Local Government Area of the state on Monday, shut down all activities over the alleged deliberate attempt to marginalise the people of the area on the recruitment exercises by the commission.
The youths under the aegis Ese Odo Right Vanguard (ERV) who converged on the premises of the commission in Obama -Ile, in Akure North local government area of the state, called for the suspension of the ongoing recruitment exercise by the commission
They alleged that the recruitment exercise was a pretty determined exercise saying the people of the area should be considered in the spirit of equity and fairness.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved youths, the Spokesperson of ERV, Mr. Eric Pere Yanyanbini, explained that the commission called for application from interested applicant some 30 minutes to close of work on Friday with the deadline for the submission of forms slated for Monday, 7th October.
He described the development as worrisome and unacceptable urging the commission under the chairmanship of Gbenga Edema to halt the exercise for the sake of equity.
According to Yanyanbini, out of the 250 staff working in the commission, about 216 workers are from Ilaje local government area, only nine hailed from Ese Odo while 35 are from other local government areas in the state.
He said OSOPADEC is embarking on another round of employment exercise which he said is a repeated ploy to deliberately marginalise Ese-Odo Local Government in the scheme of things.
He said “A recent call for application advertised 30 minutes to close of work on Friday 4th October 2019 and submission of same closes Monday, 7th October 2019 is not only embarrassing but worrisome and unacceptable.
“The catchment Local Governments are Ilaje Local Government, Ese-Odo Local Government and minimal benefits to other Local Governments in this order of stakes/preferences. However, the reverse is the case in the Barrister Genga Edema’s led commission.
He said further that “the Commission in a recent publication declared 70 vacancies of which 35 of Adhoc/contract staff are meant to be given automatic employment. Only about four of these 35 ad-hoc staff are of Ese-Odo Local Government and there are clear indications that Ese-Odo may not have up to five slots from the remaining 35 vacancies.
“Such predetermined employment exercise is not acceptable to us. Hence, we call for an extension of the recruitment exercise to enable more prospective applicants to put in their applications.”In other words, given the marginalization of Ese-Odo Local Government in previous recruitment exercises by the Commission, we request that more employment opportunities be given to Ese-Odo Local Government to address such imbalances.
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“We call for an extension of the planned recruitment exercise to enable our people to apply accordingly.”
The group, however, called for the urgent intervention of the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, into the matter, accusing the commission’s chairman, who they said hailed from Ilaje of a deliberate plan to short change the people of Ese-Odo in the scheme of the recruitment.
“It will interest His Excellency to know that OSOPADEC staff strength is densely populated by Ilaje Local Government and staff from other local governments with a negligible number from Ese-Odo Local Government.
However, the State Police Command invited the leadership of the protesting youth and the officials of the Commission in order to restore peace in the commission.
The leadership of the commission, however, promised to look into the matter in order to give room for equity and fairness and also move the commission forward.
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