800,000 Graduates Jostle for 1,500 Jobs in INEC as PhD Holders Slug it out for Graduate Slots

No matter how our corrupt leaders at all levels in Nigeria try to pretend, the issue of unemployment and under-employment is a major problem, a big time bomb, waiting to exploded.

As you read this, about 800,000 graduates have submitted applications to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking to be employed to fill only 1,500 available job slots in the commission. 

INEC placed vacancy advertisements in newspapers on November 19, inviting applications for the positions of legal officers, system analysts, architects, engineers, estate officers and registration area officers on grade levels 07, 08 and 09.

The commission got more than they bargained for:
Only applicants with first degrees, Higher National Diplomas and National Certificate of Education (NCE) were invited to submit applications. However, several PhD and Master’s Degree holders also desperately need the available 'mid-level' jobs.

“In the first week alone, we had about 300,000 applications. We were alarmed. In fact there are PhD holders among the applicants; some of them have two master’s degrees. That is a reflection of the job situation in the country,” an official of INEC cried out.

Unfortunately for this our country men and woman, only 1,500 persons will be given jobs. Consequently, the remaining 798,500 will continue to swim in the unemployment market.