Rivers State Government Approves Recruitment of 5,000 Civil Servants

The Rivers State Executive Council has given its approval for the immediate enlistment of 5,000 indigenes into the state's civil service. This strategic move is intended to bolster administrative efficiency and improve the delivery of public services across the state.

The decision was formalized during the second council meeting of 2026, which was chaired by Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Government House in Port Harcourt. The Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, was also present at the meeting.

Briefing journalists, Dr. Honor Sirawoo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, stated that the recruitment drive will prioritize the education sector to address existing manpower shortages. With this new batch of hires, the Fubara administration will have facilitated employment for over 9,500 individuals.

Dr. Sirawoo elaborated, "The State Executive Council has approved the employment of 5,000 individuals into the civil service to strengthen service delivery, particularly in the education sector. Of this total, 300 will be assigned to basic and primary education levels, while 2,000 will be deployed to post-primary institutions."

He further highlighted that prior recruitment efforts under the current administration have already seen the employment of 1,500 staff for Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, 2,000 for medical services, and 1,000 for the Universal Basic Education Board. The selection process for the new recruits will be rigorously managed to ensure that only qualified candidates are appointed.

Dr. Chisom Kenneth Gbali, the State Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, commented that this recruitment exercise represents a significant opportunity for the state's residents.