Cross River State: In view of the COVID-19 lockdown and its attendant consequences on livelihoods that would lead to job losses, daily income difficulties, waste of youthful energy, the Cross River State government has decided to recruit young men and women from the ages of 18-35, with no exception of those in the health sector, on a flat monthly salary of 30, 000 naira.

According to Governor Ben Ayade the measure has become very necessary in order to reduce public anxiety, youth restiveness and lower social tension.

Speaking at the flag off the state’s COVID-19 palliative stimulus, governor Ayade said the recruitment will done in the following sectors, agriculture, environment, security, and health.

On the recruitment in agriculture sector, the governor said the Cross River agricultural sub-sector is ready for a major role in a post-COVID-19 Nigeria, where 5000 young people are to be recruited under a revolutionary agricultural Programme that utilizes modern farming techniques, mechanization and digitalization.

Speaking in the same vein on the environment sector, governor Ayade said another set of 1000 young people are to be recruited into various agencies of government, including the Green Police, whose core mandate include urban beautification, landscaping, maintenance of recreational parks, development of nurseries, horticulture and general sanitation.

Another 2000 young people are to be recruited under the security sector, into the state Homeland Security and the Border Patrol Agency with the key objective being the effective enforcement of the lockdown of the state’s extensive border lines.

Health sector

In order to build capacity for COVID-19 response in the event of a full blown pandemic in the state, the Cross River government have decided to recruit, with immediate effect: 400 doctors, 600 nurses and 1000 health officers for COVID-19 surveillance across every village in the state,” Ayade disclosed.

The recruitment exercises are to hold simultaneously on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

Accordingly, the no mask no movement policy means any applicant not wearing a nose mask will be denied entry into the recruitment grounds.