Reps kicks against age barrier in govt jobs

OrderPaperToday – The House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a motion mandating it committees on Labour, Employment and Productivity and National Planning and Economic Development to review the age barrier for job vacancies in government establishments.

The House also urged all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), especially the Nigeria Police Force,  Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Prison, Fire Service, Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) to consider reopening their portal so that applicants above 30 years but below 40 years can apply and be given equal opportunity.

The above resolutions were sequel to a motion moved by Mr. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos).

Leading debate on the issue, Babajimi said President Buhari led administration has made all efforts to reduce unemployment ratio in the country by advertising vacancies through MDAs.

He also noted that most of the vacancies require that applicants must not be more than 30 years of age as at the time of applying for the vacancies.

According to him, “under the unstable nature  of Nigeria’s education system, it is difficult to determine and plan the age of graduation thus restriction on the basis of age is breach of eligible applicant’s fundamental human rights as contained in Chapter lV of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He also made reference to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme that is designed to foster national cohesion in the country with discharge or exemption certificate pegged at 30 years.

“All citizens who serve the National Youth Service Corps at age of 30 years will be denied the opportunity to be gainfully employed by the country they labored to serve in the sun and in the rain”, he lamented.

Again, Babajimi pointed to the fact that 55.5 percent of the assumed Nigeria’s 196 million population were between 15-64 years of age and by capping job entry at 30 years of age, over half of the said population would be denied the opportunity of being gainfully employed.

The motion was unanimously passed.