Edo State Governor, Mr Monday Okpebholo, has approved automatic employment for first-class graduates from any Nigerian or foreign university into the state Civil and Public Service, as part of efforts to enhance the quality of manpower in the system.
The state’s Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa, announced this in a statement released on Friday, explaining that the Graduate Development Programme aims to integrate top-quality talents into the system for effective and efficient service delivery.
Okungbowa stated, “The governor has approved this initiative to motivate workers and encourage them to give their best. The Graduate Development Programme is designed to bring together first-class graduates and those with high-grade degrees to develop and enhance the quality of manpower within the service.”
He further explained, “The Governor is committed to bringing first-class graduates into the Edo State Civil and Public Service. He believes this policy will help the state attract top talent. It’s not just about bringing them in; it’s also about retaining them, which is one of the major challenges facing the programme.”
The governor has called on all first-class graduates of Edo origin, from universities both within Nigeria and abroad, to take advantage of this opportunity for automatic employment.
Although the programme is initially targeting graduates from 2020 onwards, Okpebholo may extend it in the future.
The statement further outlined that those selected for the programme will be rotated across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, with plans to also place them in the private sector to gain broader experience.