Hundreds of beneficiaries of the Edo State Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs) in Akoko Edo Local Government Area (LGA) have dismissed claims by the former Chief of Staff to the Edo State Governor, Mr. Taiwo Akerele, that there are no beneficiaries of the government’s employment agency in the local government, describing the former Chief of Staff as an enemy of Edo youths.
The beneficiaries under the aegis of EdoJobbers Association in Akoko Edo, in a statement to refute the false claim, noted: “We are proud to state that among us are people that EdoJobs has empowered with jobs, those who have started their solar panel installation businesses, and those employed by the civil service and the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA), among others.
The statement was jointly signed by the President of the association, Isreal Alegbe, and 28 others. They include Abu Jackson Friday, Bayode Lugard, Jimoh .E. Jonah, Adomokhai Sylvester , Olorunda Lewis, Akpara Francis, Olorunbe Arrow, Balogun Daniel, Sunday Johnson, Obabi Paul, Alepeleye Samson, Rasheed Momoh and Stephen Arewa.
Also, Felix Emmanuel, Dada Salami Okahen, Balogun Bashiru, Ashofor Cletus, Owaiye Daniel, Adeyouja Samson, Samuel Friday, Balogun Dada, Idowu Arbu, Taiye Agoyi and Alegbeleye Isreal signed on behalf of 99 other EdoJobs solar engineers in the local government.
Okumagbe Veronica signed on behalf of 50 Akoko Edo indigenes in EdoJobs First Monie Agents Empowerment scheme, while Nuse Ezekiel, Aivi Theophilus and Adam Isaiah signed on behalf of 10 Akoko Edo indigenes who are beneficiaries of the welding and fabrication apprenticeship programme.
The beneficiaries said: “Our attention has been drawn to the recent video in circulation where the immediate past Chief of Staff to the Edo State Governor, Mr. Taiwo Akerele spurred allegations that the employment statistics of the Edo State Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs) lacked verifiable data and evidence. In trying to make this claim, he alluded to the fact that there are no EdoJobs beneficiaries in Akoko Edo.
“It seems that it is unknown to him that EdoJobs beneficiaries are an ever growing community of Edo youths who stand by the truth always and politics will not deter us from standing up for what is right. We the Akoko Edo Chapter of the EdoJobbbers Association hereby reject profusely the allegations made by Mr. Taiwo Akercle and state that anyone who attacks EdoJobs is an enemy of Edo youth.”
According to them, “We call on all other chapters of the EdoJobbers association in all LGAs to refute and reject this direct attack on our common good. We enjoin all Edo youth to ignore such statements and continue to participate in EdoJobs job opportunities without fear.
“We thank the Managing Director of EdoJobs for not bowing to the pressure to publish our personal details online to protect us from reprisals and we assure her that we the EdoJobbers are solidly behind Mr. Godwin Obaseki, come September 19, 2020 and we will continue to share our stories.”
The statement further reads: “The good citizens and friends of Edo State can check the testimonials of the thousands of entrepreneurs, employees and other beneficiaries of the several programmes by EdoJobs on their Facebook pages. We call on all EdoJobbers to share their stories voluntarily as a show of solidarity with His Excellency, our wake and see Governor.”
