The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s claim of creating 250,000 jobs in the last two years, calling it misleading.
Reacting through its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party criticized the governor for failing to employ teachers and health workers in the state’s public schools and hospitals, despite his recent recruitment of 10,000 Imole Youth Corps members.
“Isn’t it ironic that Governor Adeleke, who has failed to hire teachers and health workers for three years, now considers it necessary to recruit 10,000 youth corps members?” the APC questioned.
The party highlighted the ongoing shortage of teachers in public schools and staff in hospitals, arguing that these should have been prioritized over the Imole Youth Corps initiative.
“The claim of creating 250,000 job opportunities in two years is nothing but fiction. We sympathize with the job seekers deceived into purchasing employment forms under the PDP-led administration, waiting for years without any sign of recruitment,” Olabisi added.
Governor Adeleke, speaking in Osogbo during the induction of 10,000 Imole Youth Corps members, had attributed his administration’s job creation success to local content policies and financial support for businesses.
He stated that the program was part of his broader effort to combat unemployment by engaging youths across Osun’s 332 political wards in sectors like health, security, environment, and education.
“Our administration is dedicated to addressing the unemployment crisis. We recognize the widespread joblessness among our youth, and our first approach is to create an enabling environment for job opportunities in both the public and private sectors,” Adeleke said.
He described the Imole Youth Corps as a transitional initiative aimed at equipping young people with skills and experience for long-term employment.
The governor reassured the newly inducted corps members that they would receive proper training to effectively carry out their assigned roles, urging them to remain committed and professional.
Adeleke also outlined his administration’s broader employment strategies, including financial support for small businesses and infrastructure development, noting that over ₦4 billion had been allocated to a revolving loan scheme for grassroots entrepreneurs.
“With our local content policy, financial support for businesses, and the ongoing youth agropreneur program, we have provided job opportunities to over 250,000 people,” Adeleke claimed.
He added that the state government planned to expand its employment drive through agropreneur projects in each of Osun’s 30 local government areas and area councils.
Commissioner for Youth Development, Moshood Olagunju, affirmed that the administration had a structured approach to job creation and that its policies had positively impacted various sectors.
He also announced the introduction of a performance evaluation system to monitor the effectiveness of the Imole Youth Corps and other employment initiatives.
“Our commitment is to transparency and results. This evaluation system will ensure that every initiative meets its intended objectives,” Olagunju stated.