Obaseki offers UNIBEN first-class graduates automatic jobs

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has promised to give automatic employment in the State Civil and Public Service to first-class graduates of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) who are from Edo indigenes.

The Governor made the pledge while speaking at the 48th Convocation and 53rd Founders’ Day at the UNIBEN main campus in Ugbowo, Benin City, on Saturday, November 25, 2023.

He said despite the sizeable population of the state, which is about five million, it is commendable that the one university is graduating 500 PhD holders.

He asked the 179 first-class graduates that, should they decide not to proceed immediately for further studies, they could secure an automatic job with the Edo State Civil Service by just sending an email.

Obaseki said, “Governance is key and the quality of governance I see the Vice Chancellor of this university display is the one that is so admirable.

“As a government, we decided, seven years ago, to support this university even if it is not a state-owned university. This university is all about knowledge for service and what this university has done to position Edo State in Nigeria in terms of human capacity development is unheard of.

“We are not a large state but a state with a population of about five million people and one university graduating 500 PhDs speaks a lot. I want to thank the university for this achievement.

“It is now a standing policy for the Edo State Government that any student of Edo State origin graduating with a first-class degree from any recognised university gets an automatic job from the Edo State Government.

“For your 179 students who may not want to proceed immediately for further studies, just tell them that with just one e-mail, they get an automatic job with the Edo State Civil/Public Service.”

For her part, the wife of the Governor, Betsy Obaseki, who bagged an honorary Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) from the university, thanked the institution for the honour bestowed on her.

She commended the efforts and resilience of women who are excelling in Nigerian political and academic terrains, noting that they overcame various challenges of gender-based violence.

She said, “I, my husband and my family, will commence the construction of a legacy project at the Ekenwan Campus of UNIBEN. I hope the project will be a legacy project and an artistic destination for the State. I dedicate this degree to my husband, the governor of Edo State, who has nurtured me and supported me to the point I am today.”