By Ahmed Dinar Abdulmumin
The proposed plan by the Kogi State Government to embark on massive recruitment into the state public service presents an important opportunity to strengthen the workforce, create employment opportunities for young people and improve the delivery of government services across the state.
However, any large-scale recruitment exercise must be guided by fairness, transparency, equity and the principle of equal opportunity. Kogi State has 21 Local Government Areas, each with different population sizes, geographical characteristics and levels of representation in the state workforce. Therefore, recruitment should not simply be based on political considerations or an arbitrary allocation of positions. It should take into account the population and genuine needs of each Local Government Area.
One practical way to achieve this is through the establishment of a State-Level Recruitment and Character/Community Representation Committee with representation from all 21 Local Government Areas. Such a body can help ensure that recruitment opportunities are distributed fairly and that no community or Local Government Area is systematically disadvantaged.
The Current Workforce and the Need for a Review:
The state government should begin by reviewing the current workforce, which is estimated at about 32,000 state workers. Before embarking on massive recruitment, government should determine how these existing workers are distributed among the 21 Local Government Areas.
The important question is: Does the present distribution of approximately 32,000 state workers reasonably reflect the population of the different Local Government Areas?
If some Local Government Areas have significantly more workers than would be expected based on their population, while others are substantially underrepresented, the new recruitment exercise provides an opportunity to correct the imbalance.
For example, a Local Government Area with a larger population should ordinarily receive a larger share of recruitment opportunities than a Local Government Area with a much smaller population, while also considering existing workforce representation and the actual manpower needs of government institutions located within each area.
Population-Based Distribution:
The government should develop a transparent formula for recruitment allocation. Population should be one of the major factors in determining the number of positions allocated to each Local Government Area.
A simple model could be:
Local Government Allocation = Total Available Positions × Population of the Local Government Area ÷ Total State Population
However, population should not necessarily be the only consideration. The government may also consider:
Existing number of state workers from each Local Government Area.
Existing level of representation in the public service.
Number of qualified unemployed applicants.
Educational and professional needs.
Geographical spread of government institutions.
Areas that have historically been underrepresented.
Special consideration for persons with disabilities and other legally recognised categories where appropriate.
This approach would produce a more balanced system than simply sharing vacancies equally among the 21 Local Government Areas.
The Need for a State-Level Character Commission and Community Representation Committee:
To ensure credibility, the government should establish an independent State-Level Recruitment and Character/Community Representation Committee to oversee the process.
The committee should include credible representatives from the 21 Local Government Areas and relevant government institutions. Its responsibility should not be to select political loyalists, but to monitor compliance with an agreed recruitment formula and ensure that every Local Government Area receives fair consideration.
The committee could be responsible for:
Reviewing the existing distribution of the state’s workforce.
Developing a transparent recruitment formula.
Monitoring the allocation of vacancies among the 21 Local Government Areas.
Ensuring that recruitment is based on merit, qualification and transparent criteria.
Publishing the allocation formula before recruitment begins.
Monitoring the application and screening process.
Receiving complaints from applicants and communities.
Preparing a final report on the recruitment exercise.
Such a structure would help reduce suspicion, political tension and allegations of favouritism.
Recruitment Must Not Be Hijacked by Political Office Holders
One of the most important safeguards that should be put in place is to ensure that the recruitment process is not hijacked or controlled by political office holders, political groups or influential individuals.
While political office holders have legitimate responsibilities in governance and may provide policy direction and oversight, they should not be allowed to personally determine who gets recruited, compile private lists of candidates or turn a public recruitment exercise into a political patronage system.
The recruitment of public servants should be an institutional process, not a process controlled by individuals.
If political office holders are allowed to control recruitment slots within their constituencies or Local Government Areas, there is a serious risk that qualified applicants without political connections will be disadvantaged. Such a situation could undermine public confidence and create the perception that government employment is available only to those who have access to powerful political figures.
The government should therefore establish clear boundaries between political oversight and recruitment administration.
Political leaders can contribute by supporting the government’s employment policies, but the actual selection of candidates should be handled through an independent, transparent and verifiable recruitment system.
There should be no hidden lists, political quotas, personal recommendations or unofficial recruitment channels outside the approved process.
Every qualified citizen should have the opportunity to apply through the same platform and undergo the same screening requirements.
Fairness Does Not Mean Equal Numbers:
It is important to distinguish between equality and equity.
Giving every Local Government Area exactly the same number of positions may appear equal, but it may not necessarily be equitable. A Local Government Area with a population of several hundred thousand people should not automatically receive the same recruitment allocation as one with a substantially smaller population.
Equity means considering the circumstances and population of each area so that recruitment opportunities are distributed fairly.
At the same time, population-based allocation must be balanced with the need to protect smaller or historically underrepresented communities. This is why the government should establish a clear formula rather than relying exclusively on population figures.
Auditing the Existing 32,000 Workers
Before the proposed massive recruitment begins, the government should conduct a comprehensive audit of the approximately 32,000 existing state workers.
The audit should establish:
Where each worker comes from.
Which Local Government Area they represent.
Their cadre and qualification.
Their department or ministry.
Their date of employment.
The distribution of workers across the 21 Local Government Areas.
Areas that are overrepresented or underrepresented.
This information would provide government with reliable data for making informed recruitment decisions.
If the audit shows that one Local Government Area already has a disproportionately high number of workers, while another has significantly fewer, the new recruitment exercise could be used to gradually correct the imbalance.
Merit Must Remain Central
While equitable distribution is important, recruitment must not sacrifice merit.
Every applicant should meet the required educational, professional and technical qualifications for the position applied for. Recruitment should be competitive, transparent and based on competence.
A fair system should therefore combine merit with equitable geographical representation.
The objective should be to ensure that qualified citizens from every part of Kogi State have a fair opportunity without turning recruitment into a system where positions are distributed solely on political or ethnic considerations.
Transparency and Public Confidence
One of the greatest challenges facing large recruitment exercises is public confidence.
When people do not know how vacancies were distributed or how candidates were selected, rumours of favouritism and manipulation can easily arise.
The Kogi State Government can prevent this by publishing:
The total number of available vacancies.
The recruitment criteria.
The population data used.
The formula for allocating vacancies.
The number of positions allocated to each Local Government Area.
The qualification requirements.
The screening and examination process.
The final recruitment results.
This level of transparency would strengthen public confidence and demonstrate that the exercise is being conducted in the interest of the entire state.
A Call for Inclusive Governance
The proposed massive recruitment should not be viewed merely as an employment programme. It should be seen as an opportunity to build a stronger, more representative and more efficient Kogi State public service.
Government has a responsibility to ensure that the benefits of public employment reach citizens across the 21 Local Government Areas. At the same time, citizens have a responsibility to support a recruitment process that rewards competence, qualification and integrity.
A transparent state-level mechanism for monitoring character and community representation can provide an important bridge between government and citizens. It can also reduce the communication gap that often exists when communities believe that decisions affecting them are being made without adequate representation.
Conclusion
The proposed massive recruitment by the Kogi State Government is a welcome opportunity to create jobs, strengthen government institutions and improve public service delivery. However, its success will depend largely on how fairly and transparently the exercise is conducted.
Before new appointments are made, government should critically examine the existing workforce of approximately 32,000 state workers and determine whether their distribution among the 21 Local Government Areas reasonably reflects population and manpower needs.
A transparent population-based formula, supported by a credible State-Level Recruitment and Character/Community Representation Committee, can help ensure fairness, equity and accountability.
The people of Kogi State deserve a recruitment process in which no Local Government Area is forgotten, no qualified citizen is unfairly excluded, and merit remains the foundation of public service employment.
The ultimate goal should be a public service that reflects the diversity of Kogi State while maintaining competence, professionalism and fairness. If properly implemented, the proposed recruitment exercise can become not only a source of employment, but also an important step towards building a more balanced, inclusive and trusted public service for the people of Kogi State.
– Ahmed Dinar Abdulmumin
ahmedabdulmumuni100a@gmail.com
