C/River begins documentation for its Green Police recruits

(Nigeria) Cross River Government has begun documentation and screening exercise for the engagement of 1, 500 youths in readiness for the take off of its Green Police.

The exercise which started on February 19, 2016, with the screening of candidates from the Southern senatorial district, will be concluded on March 2, 2016 with the documentation of Marshals from the Northern senatorial district.

In an interaction with newsmen at the ongoing exercise in Calabar, yesterday, Commissioner for Climate Change and Forestry, Dr. Alice Ekwu, said, that the Green Police Marshals would complement efforts of the staff of the Forestry Commission as well as the governor's Task Forces on forest conservation and protection for the effective enforcement of the state's forest laws.

"In his magnanimity, the governor's intension was to engage 4,000 youths across the state but due to paucity of funds, he has decided to start with about 1,500 persons with room for expansion in future, " she said.

The commissioner explained that the screening and documentation exercise was captured under the volunteer scheme profile of Governor Ben Ayade which is to deliver on one of his campaign promises of providing job to the teeming Cross River youths.

She pointed out that the Green Police was one of such avenues government had created to gainfully engage the youths, adding that more of such platforms like the Rice City and Garment Factory will also provide more employment opportunities for them in no distant time.

She said,  "The governor's intention is to put food on the table of every Cross Riverian through various means, this is one of the key areas he has started reaching out to the people of the state," and expressed the hope that the youths will reciprocate the gesture by taking their jobs seriously.

“This exercise is targeted at school leavers, SSCE and graduates of OND, HND as well as Degree holders who are still jobless. They will be divided into three categories of nursery development, tree planting and enforcement."

Some of the prospective marshals who spoke after completing their documentation, expressed gratitude to Governor Ayade for keeping to his campaign promise of providing jobs to the youths in the state and pleaded that the scope be expanded to accommodate more persons.