Press Statment from the office of the Special Adviser to the
President (Media and Publicity)
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 N5 million 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)
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