Kunle ADELABU
The lawmaker representing the Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Babajimi Benson, has called for the review of the employability criteria of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure that no eligible applicant is discriminated against on the basis of age.
He is seeking the removal of the age gap which he stated is discriminatory and a breach of the fundamental human rights of the eligible applicants.
Hon. Benson raised the motion on the floor of the House on Wednesday, July 4, 2018, under matter of urgent public importance as empowered by the standing Order VIII, Rule 46 of the Lower Chamber.
The motion is titled, “Urgent Need To Review The Age Barrier In Vacancies Announced By Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Prison Service, Fire Service, Standard Organization of Nigeria and Other Federal Government Agencies”.
“I see the indulgence of this hallow Chamber to, by virtue of Order VIII, Rule 46, consider and approve this matter as one of urgent public importance. Thereby, suspend Order VIII, Rule 46 (1), to enable the matter to be taken immediately”.
While acknowledging the efforts of the federal government in trying to create employment for the teeming Nigerians, Hon. Benson frowned at the pegging of age for eligibility at 30 years by the Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“I am aware 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”.
He said that he is concerned that, “Given 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 a breach of eligible applicant’s fundamental human rights as contained in Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He also expressed concern over the fact that National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) also fixed 30 years as the mandatory age for discharge or exemption of certificate.
“Also, I am concerned that the National Youth Service Corps Scheme, designed to foster national cohesion in the country with discharge or exemption certificate mandatory to get employment in the Federal Civil Service, also pegs its admissibility age at 30 years”.
More so, the lawmaker stated that he is worried that citizens who serve at the age of 30 years would be denied the opportunity to be gainfully employed by the country they labored to serve in the sun and in the rain.
He further expressed worry that the development would lead to young Nigerians falsifying their ages to benefit from the available vacancies, an action, which he stated, would further tint the integrity of the Civil Service”.
The first term lawmaker’s worry was further compounded by the fact that a staggering figure of 55.9 percent out of the Nigeria’s 196 million population are 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 to be gainfully employed.
He further alarmed that data released by the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics in 2016, shows that unemployment and underemployment have continued to be highest for persons aged between 15-34 and that the unemployment rate amongst citizens between 25-34 years of age increased to 15.4% in Q4 2016.
According to the lawmaker, employment into the federal civil service, after considering Federal Character, should be on merit and competence without age barrier.
He urged all MDAs concern to consider re-opening their online portal so that applicants above 30 years but who are still below 40 years can apply and be given equal opportunity.
Hon. Benson also called on the House to mandate the House Committees on Labour, Employment and Productivity and National Planning and Economic Development to review the employability criteria of all MDAs to ensure that no eligible applicant is discriminated against on the basis of age.
“Mandate the Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure the deliberations and resolutions of this Honourable House is communicated to all MDAs and complied to eliminate discrimination in the civil service”.
