Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has lifted a five-year employment embargo, approving the recruitment of 1,000 indigenes into the state civil service.

The move, widely celebrated across the state, is aimed at strengthening the workforce and reducing unemployment.

The Bayelsa State Civil Service Commission, in a letter dated March 4, 2025, and signed by its Permanent Secretary, Stanley Sokari, formally announced the recruitment exercise.
The decision has sparked widespread jubilation, especially among job seekers who have long awaited such an opportunity.

By the deadline of March 21, the commission had received over 10,000 applications for various positions ranging from clerical roles to officer cadre, accommodating both young professionals and experienced candidates.

Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Mr. Perekiye Buruboyefe, assured applicants of a transparent and merit-based recruitment process.

He emphasised that candidates would undergo screening tests and interviews to ensure only the most qualified individuals were engaged.

Buruboyefe, a former commissioner for sports, praised Governor Diri’s initiative, describing it as a deliberate effort to empower Bayelsans through civil service opportunities.

He noted that the overwhelming response to the job openings reflected the people’s readiness to contribute to the state’s development.

The last significant recruitment into the state civil service occurred in 2019 under former Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, who employed 1,200 graduates following a rigorous service reform. That reform had eliminated cases of age falsification, ghost workers, and individuals fraudulently drawing multiple salaries.

Diri’s decision is expected to have significant social and economic impacts. Beyond reducing unemployment, it aims to steer young people away from crime by offering them productive engagement.