‘Absorb N-Power volunteers into public service’

Top civil and public servants in Cross River State have appealed to the authorities to retain most or all of the N-Power volunteers sent to federal and state government offices in view of huge shortage of workers.

The advocates spoke at a programme organised by the State Focal Person, Amb. Nkoyo Toyo for the volunteers. They insisted that bringing beneficiaries would solve the problem of manpower shortages in government establishments across the country.

A Supervisor of N-Agro volunteers in Bekwarra Local Government Area, Paul Adie Ogbeche, said before the 96 beneficiaries were sent to his office, there were no adequate hands in the sector as the state last employed people in the agriculture minister in 1993.

“If they are absorbed now that few of us are still in office, they will learn fast to garner necessary experience to take over from us perfectly. About 85 percent of them posted to me are doing wonderfully well,” he stated.

Chief Ola Augustine Ogbudu, Director of Youths and Sports Development in the state Sports Commission, said “most of the volunteers are very experienced and are over-qualified to even be where they are now.”

A volunteer, Joachim Ugbong, said N-Power haddelivered him from the shame of abject poverty.

Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, the focal person, tasked volunteers not to be satisfied with the stipend of N30,000 which the Federal Government paid monthly, but to seek to learn skills.