Ibas Refutes Reports of Plan to Recruit 10,000 Workers in Rivers

Rivers State Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas has refuted reports that he has approved the recruitment of 10,000 workers into the state civil service.

The fake report, circulated on social media, particularly Facebook, gave the public a false impression that it was issued by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Ibibia Worika.

The statement stated that the recruitment portal would be open for application at midnight on Sunday.

However, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday night, the state government said the announcement should be ignored. Inyingi Brown, the acting head of the civil service in Rivers, issued the statement.

“We wish to inform the people of Rivers State and the general public that this is false and ask that this fake announcement be ignored,” Mrs Brown said.

Constitution of boards, commissions

Mr Ibas, a retired vice admiral of the Nigerian Navy, became the sole administrator for the oil-rich state after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency and suspended all elected officials, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Upon assumption of office, Mr Ibas dissolved boards and commissions.

On Monday, he reconstituted some key commissions in the state, including Rivers State Civil Service Commission and Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

It is unclear if Mr Ibas plans to recruit workers in the state.

“Appropriate information will be released by the Rivers State Civil Service Commission in due time,” Mrs Brown said, suggesting the sole administrator may be planning to recruit workers into the state workforce.

Rivers crisis, legal tussles, emergency rule

Nigeria’s second richest state after Lagos (in terms of GDP) has been enmeshed in political and legal tussles triggered by the political feud between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister.

The crisis, which defied President Tinubu’s intervention, culminated in a Supreme Court judgement that restored 27 pro-Wike lawmakers as legitimate members of the Rivers assembly. The court invalidated last year’s local elections and stopped the federal government from releasing allocation to Mr Fubara’s administration.

The court had also, in the verdict, ordered Governor Fubara to represent the already signed Rivers 2025 budget to the reinstated pro-Wike lawmakers.

Though Mr Fubara had started implementing the court verdict, he could not present the budget after the lawmakers’ ultimatum expired.

Mr Tinubu later declared emergency rule in the state, suspended Governor Fubara and appointed Mr Ibas as sole administrator.