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A civil society group based in Osun State, The Osun Masterminds, has urged the state government to ensure the recruitment into Amotekun Corps and Imole Youth Corp is free of politics and favouritism.
The Executive Director, TOM, Prof Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, while speaking at the group’s monthly media parley in Osogbo, the state capital on Friday, commended the state government for embarking on the large-scale recruitment of youths.
He, however, cautioned that the gains of creating job opportunities for the youths in the state may be eroded if the process of recruitment was not fair to all interests.
He further said, “However, as has (been) noted in previous governments’ recruitment of this nature, politics can derail whatever good intentions the government may claim to have. We are, therefore, calling on the Osun State Government to ensure that the processes of recruitment into both organisations are free and fair to all.
“The government must remember that it is first overall Osun indigenes, and not play any politics with our collective resource. We have received reports from some quarters that successful candidates being contacted for the Imole Youth Corps are largely members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“This is not acceptable and must be checked immediately. Every Osun indigene and dweller has inalienable rights to enjoy government resources and nobody should be sidelined in the name of politics, ethnicity or religion.
“We sincerely hope that the recruitment into both the Amotekun Corps and Imole Youth Corps will reflect our diversity as a state, and promote the tenets of equity and fairness.”
He also lamented the planned tariff hike by the telecommunication service providers, saying such should not have happened at a time Nigerians were grappling with economic hardship.
Responding to the allegations, the State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi dismissed the claim that only PDP members were being recruited into Imole Youth Corps.
“That assertion is not correct. The government will not discriminate against any political party. APC, PDP and other parties have opportunities to seek placements and get selected if they are qualified,” Alimi assured.
The commissioner noted that being a member of any political party wouldn’t be a hindrance to joining either the Amotekun Corps or the Imole Youth Corps, so far such person is qualified.
