NIS recruitment exercise! At last, President Jonathan fulfills his promises

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Friday in Abuja
presented letters of employment into the Nigerian
Immigration Service to members of the 15 families who
lost sons and daughters during the Service’s recruitment
exercise last year.
At a brief ceremony in the Presidential Villa, President
Jonathan gave letters of employment to 33 members of
the bereaved families. Employment had been offered to
three members of each bereaved family, but some of the
bereaved families are yet to present qualified members
to take up the offer.
In his remarks at the occasion, the President said that
he was deeply saddened by the death of their relatives
in circumstances that were completely avoidable and
unwarranted.
President Jonathan said that the Federal Government
was fully committed to ensuring high standards for
recruitment processes into the public service, and the
provision of safety measures to avoid the recurrence of
the March 15, 2014 incident which claimed many lives.
“Today is a sad day for all of us. First, let me convey
our deepest condolences to the families who lost very
young people during the recruitment exercise into the
Nigeria Immigration Service. “It is quite regrettable and
we promise that such a thing will never happen again,”
President Jonathan said.
President Jonathan apologized for the delay in fulfilling
the promise of employment to members of the bereaved
families, explaining that employment into the public
service must go through some processes.
Cheques for an undisclosed amount were also given to
each of the bereaved families at the occasion. “The
cheque is not for compensation. You cannot replace
somebody with any amount of money,” the President
said.
Speaking on behalf of the bereaved families, Yunusa
Imam thanked President Jonathan for the cheques and
letters of employment. “We thank you, Mr. President for
the promises that you have kept. We are profoundly
grateful,’’ Imam, a guardian of one of the victims, said.
Reuben Abati Special Adviser to the President (Media
and Publicity)