By Joseph Hwande, Makurdi
The governor of Benue state, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia has again involved himself in illegality by directing heads of some government agencies to embark on secret recruitments of staffs.
The agencies that have started the secret recruitments of staffs are the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Benue Internal Revenue Service, SUBEB, Teaching Service Board, Waste Management office and the State Independent Electoral Commission.
Government House sources made it known that these illegal and secret recruitments which started two weeks ago are for children and relatives of the governor’s political associates.
One of the reliable sources wondered why Governor Alia would involve in such lawless act even when the state government has not made a public announcement to recruit workers.
According to investigation by our correspondent in Makurdi, more than 132 people who are children, wives and relatives of chieftains of the All Progressive Congress in Benue had been illegally and secretly recruited into the Benue civil service by the Alia-led administration.
“Yes, i can confirm to you that secret recruitments are on in Benue but it is only for the children of politicians in the state. This is illegal because the government is supposed to do a public announcement so that qualified applicants will apply and get employment based on merit.
“Doing secret recruitments is pointer that the administration won’t employ in the next two years, and this is unfair to the masses that put them in the position. While they are secretly employing their own people who are not even qualified, applicants that are qualified have remained jobless.
“They are secretly employing their own sons and daughters now leaving the masses out but the same masses they are using to kill themselves during elections” the source said.