[b]Sometime around August in 2011, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation announced to the consternation of Nigerians that 80% of the over 40,000 Nigerians that sat for the massive recruitment test of the corporation failed. This result was even more disastrous considering the fact that those who failed where either first class or second class upper degree graduates. Nine months later, fellow Nigerians, the successful candidates who were being interviewed at the time that very inauspicious declaration was made do not know their fate. To fully appreciate the import of the following discourse, the reader might need to be informed that this recruitment process began in November 2010, when the NNPC announced massive recruitment positions in the corporation and its subsidiaries.
On the 25th day of March 2011, over 40,000 young, bright and promising Nigerian youths sat for the NNPC's recruitment test in various locations across the country having met the stipulated recruitment criteria. Many of these young chaps, including yours sincerely, had to pass through a lot of rigors in order to write this test. Many of the candidates had to embark on harrowing journeys on the death traps we call inter-state roads. Others traveled from various parts of the world- Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Australia on personally funded flights. On getting to the test venues, instead of a little respite in the form of already sorted out logistics, they were welcome by what could best be described as cut-and-nail arrangements. In their hordes, these hopeful Nigerian youths bore the infernal heat of the sun, as they waited for the officials of the NNPC and Phillips Consulting, to make face-saving reparations to their blighted first impressions. Such was the hope of the "hopefuls", that even though a test that was earlier scheduled for 11am was delayed till about 5pm (and even 6pm in some venues), their resolve was not in a bit deterred. They strained their eyes to make use of the little light the dark halls could afford them. Nothing could better define the enthusiasm of these young ones than the arrival of a newly wedded bride still dressed resplendently in her wedding gown making her way through the crowd to "secure her future". Despite these inconveniences, 20% of the candidates -as asserted by no less a person than the GMD himself- braved the odds, passed the test and were invited for interviews. The last batch of successful candidates were interviewed at the NNPC towers in mid-august 2011, in a time when the security situation of Nigeria could best be described as tenuous, owing to the endless bombings that were becoming rife. Once again, optimistic Nigerians made the trip to the NNPC towers across lands, rivers and oceans at personal expense. As is the tradition, account numbers of the interviewees were collected to facilitate payment of their transportation allowances.
Forward to nine months later and the “hopefuls” are still hoping. There is no gain saying that the Phillips Consulting officials and the NNPC senior staff members involved in the recruitment exercise have been paid their allowances, while not even the transportation allowances of the interviewees have been paid. So far, hopefuls have been waiting with bated breath for the conclusion of this recruitment process. Hopefuls are increasingly wary, because the conspiracy of silence on this process forebodes ominous signals as was the case with the 2008 recruitment, which was ingloriously swept under the carpet. The expectations have reached feverish pitch as evidenced by discussions on various fora created for this purpose. The question that keeps begging for an answer is: What offence did the Nigerian youth commit? Even though the issue of the fuel subsidy probe has been espoused as a possible excuse for the delays by some, the corporation and it’s parent ministry have gone ahead to present and defend budgets for the year which made provisions for increased manpower. If the NNPC management doesn’t have ulterior motives, what then is stopping the release of appointment letters to successful interviewees? If the GMD was so quick to denigrate those -who in his allusions- are pretenders to the degrees they possess, is it not only fair to reward those who proved their mettle. The NNPC and her sister organisation, the Department of the Petroleum Resources (DPR) have decided to play the ostrich concerning the recruitment of a few deserving Nigerian youths, whereas in this nation, billions of Naira have gone into sustaining the avarice of a few undeserving persons including top management staff of these two organizations. It is even more disheartening that in the recently held ministerial platform, the minister under whose watch this hogwash was perpetuated shied away from it. It needs some reiteration that it is the career of hardworking, deserving young Nigerians that is being toyed with by a privileged few. The president, minister and top management staff of these organizations should remember that “those whose nuts were cracked by benevolent spirits are morally obliged to others”. The successful conclusion or annulment of this process will call to question the genuineness of Mr. President’s transformation agenda, which most of the hopefuls bought into, and gave him their votes for. Mr. President, the Minister and all those involved should be informed that “enough is enough”. In this nation, a cabal of few persons who brought this nation down on her knees still run amok, whereas the employment of a few thousand youths (whose collective annual wages would pale in the face of a single cabal member's loot) has become a matter of contention. So far, the hopefuls have remained calm. We are gentlemen and ladies in the very sense of it; we are responsible professionals/would be professionals, but there is a point to which we can suffer the evil in the land. We are taking our destinies in our hands.
To this effect I am starting this thread as a central point of convergence for all NNPC/DPR threads relating to this recruitment on this forum. One thing that might work against the neo-aspiration of the hopefuls is having several related threads strewn all over this forum. I want this thread to be a point where we come together to synergise our efforts, ideas and logistics as regards our next line of action. We need focus and further delays could be very dangerous for the following reasons:
* The NNPC GMD under whose purview the recruitment exercise was started, will soon be going on a compulsory retirement, and this was the reason given for the annulment of the 2008 recruitment
* Many detractors have started throwing spanners in the wheels of our progress by pretending to be hopefuls whereas their ultimate aim is to ensure we don't come to a consensus concerning our plans
* So far there has not been any thread on this issue on the front page..In this regard, I want to sincerely appeal to the moderators to ensure this thread gets to the front page

We will appreciate honest and reasonable suggestions, we would also appreciate the involvement of civil society as an injustice against the Nigerian youth is one against the nation's future.

GOD BLESS THE HOPEFULS
GOD BLESS NNPC/DPR
GOD BLESS NAIRALAND
GOD BLESS NIGERIA

[/b]

Well done naijapatriot. Quite an exhaustive one. There is only way out. Just copy and paste ur write up on Mr President's Facebook wall. In d alternative, we need to publISH dis in a reputable national daily. It will definitely yield results. Goodluck to us!

Naijapatriot, that was a good piece. Thank you.

The june 4th protest will still hold. Please, if anyone knows people in the media houses, make arrangements with them.

Lagos residents will march to NNPC zonal office at 28, Ademola street, off Awolowo Road, South west Ikoyi.

Other info would be shared later. The battle goes on.

Pls inform others, we need numbers, this action must yeild result.

Thanks!!

Nice piece..May the good Lord help us

tunnababz: Naijapatriot, that was a good piece. Thank you.

The june 4th protest will still hold. Please, if anyone knows people in the media houses, make arrangements with them.

Lagos residents will march to NNPC zonal office at 28, Ademola street, off Awolowo Road, South west Ikoyi.

Other info would be shared later. The battle goes on.

Pls inform others, we need numbers, this action must yeild result.

Thanks!!

As regards the Lagos event, someone posted this on http://www./f37/new-thread-nnpc-hopefuls-84908/index567.html
@All,

I will be in Lagos on 4th of June and I volunteer to coordinate for Lagos. Below are the suggested modalities:

Date: Monday 4th June 2012

Time: 8:00am prompt

Venue: departure from Chicken Republic @ Awolowo road ikoyi to destination of protest @ NNPC Lagos Zonal office 28, Ademola street, off Awolowo road, South West Ikoyi.

Uniform: White polo shirt and black trousers

Please I repeat, NO VIOLENCE!

Later today I will inform the police at any Police station on the Island or I will seek a court injunction for protest at Federal High Court Ikoyi.

Pls anyone with the contact of any media houses in Lagos Island/VI/Ikoyi should send me a pm so I can contact them. Also intending comrades with questions or suggestions can also send me a pm. Also, anyone who can volunteer printing of banner/slogan on 6yards or 4yards China white material should do so. We can discuss on the slogan to be printed. I shall volunteer to buy as many white cardboard papers for the attendees as possible plus markers.

Those in Abuja can use same itinerary and organize starting from TOTAL/Conoil filling station and protest in front of NNPC main entrance (not visitor's gate). If they have strength, they can trek from Wuse Market or from nearby Zone 4 (Sheraton junction) and cross the bridge to the Towers. I have a media person in Abuja to cover this. One in NTA, one in CoolFM and the other from Leadership newspaper. The Abuja cordinator shld contact me for their details.

ALUTA CONTINUA...VICTORIA ACERTA!!!

Comments and contributions pls...may God bless our efforts. Amen

Dear Nairaland Moderators, plz n plz , help us get this on the front page....thanxs in advance

Yeah. We should all endeavour to be there. We can't continue to die in silence.
How long shall they kill our prophets, while we stand aside and look??

I commiserate with those who have been kept waiting indefinitely by this recruitment process and you should continue to demand transparency from the NNPC.

I do have some questions though - what attempts have been made to contact the NNPC to ascertain (any) reasons for the delay in contacting successful interviewees?

Are these reasons valid or is all this talk about fuel subsidy probes, etc simply speculation?

Recruitment processes seem to take unusually long periods in Nigeria, especially O&G firms and even in the private sector as well. There may be a wider reason why these delays are happening - have you considered whether the delay in passing the PIB bill could also be a factor?

Try to raise this issue with your reps in the national assembly - maybe they will be able to put pressure on the NNPC - in an attempt to get to the bottom of the delays.

debosky: I commiserate with those who have been kept waiting indefinitely by this recruitment process and you should continue to demand transparency from the NNPC.

I do have some questions though - what attempts have been made to contact the NNPC to ascertain (any) reasons for the delay in contacting successful interviewees?

Are these reasons valid or is all this talk about fuel subsidy probes, etc simply speculation?

Recruitment processes seem to take unusually long periods in Nigeria, especially O&G firms and even in the private sector as well. There may be a wider reason why these delays are happening - have you considered whether the delay in passing the PIB bill could also be a factor?

Try to raise this issue with your reps in the national assembly - maybe they will be able to put pressure on the NNPC - in an attempt to get to the bottom of the delays.

Thanks debosky, I will get back to u . I'm in motion now

Moderators pls and pls push dis 2 front page, its a genuine clarion call on our youth for a change in d governin system in naija, We need all d support we can amass! Thanks.

[b]Having studied the issues raised by debosky, I would want to make some suggestions as regards the proposed "protest"
It isn't a protest in the real sense of it, as we will need to be clear about what our grievances are, and that we have exhausted all alternative options. It is actually what i will term a fact-finding mass action aimed at finding out the reason for the delays, or the purported suspension of the recruitment process. It is also aimed at having the management's word on the position of things as regards the recruitment exercise and its conclusion.
My point essentially is that we should be as factual as possible, not just base our arguments on hear-says
we should be as civil as possible, present our points as logically as possible with superior arguments. As alluded to in my initial post, there should be no reason for the annulment of the recruitment process since budgets have been passed to that effect. We just want to know the reason for the delays, and demand for it's successful completion.
Our demand should be premised on the 2008 precedent. We should remind them that the last time there was a reshuffle in the management of the corporation , an ongoing recruitment was thrown under the bus. Apparently Engr. Oniwon's term as GMD of the NNPC is to end in june. Our argument therefore, is that since Oniwon started the process, he should complete it in his tenure, because he is the one accountable.
We should guard against detractors who might want to sabotage the process, bringing in unrelated issues. We should be cautious in our choice of word especially the inscriptions on our placards. We should not give the NNPC/DPR management any excuse to gain public sympathy. In other words we should eschew violence in all its dimensions.
The world is watching, and I believe with the right comportment, grace and God we can make our points known, create the desired awareness and commit them to concluding this exercise.
Once again,
GOD BLESS THE HOPEFULS,
GOD BLESS THE NNPC/DPR,
GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA[/b]

My heart goes out to you and I wish you the best of luck.

i cant but be in agreement with every one here, however i want us to know that if any one in any way quizes this excersice again, he or she pays with his/her blood! Am sure they are all aware of this! ..... Tnx guys , no shaking!

now that three of the NNPC top mgt. Staff are dead, wot next! .... Deziani be ware!

wot eva excuse they will want toi give is not acceptable anylonger!... Wot of them aint they eating every day fron same NNPC?

Now another GMD has been fired, what next for this recruitment exercise?

guy are u trying to wear my shoes or what
sorry it wont size u!!