The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has identified Oyo State as the most favourable region for employment in southern Nigeria.
The development was revealed in NBS’s most recent employment statistics report for 2024.
The report indicates a notable reduction in the unemployment rate in Oyo State, which stands at an impressive 2.0 per cent.
OsunDailyNG reports that this achievement positions Oyo State at the forefront of employment generation, outpacing 31 other states in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which reported an unemployment rate of 14.1% as of September 26, 2024.
Speaking on the development, Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, stated that the NBS report aligns with the ongoing trend of high employment levels in the state, which is not unexpected.
“Recently, the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, OYOSUBEB, announced the employment of 7,000 new staff.
“Two weeks ago, the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, TESCOM, also announced the employment of 7,500 teachers and 3,000 non-teaching Staff.
“This is in addition to the 5,000 teachers employed to TESCOM by Governor Seyi Makinde in his first term.
“In the health sector, the state government just concluded the employment process of 375 personnel into the State Hospital Management Board, including medical doctors, nurses, specialist consultants, hospital administrators, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, medical laboratory scientists, medical laboratory technicians, physiotherapists, and other junior cadre officers.
“And as we speak, the employment of 791 staff into the Oyo State Civil Service Commission is ongoing,” Oyelade noted.
He said further: “In the same vein, the Seyi Makinde administration has effected the pardoning, reinstatement, and promotion of 1,800 workers.
“In a rare approach to governance, Governor Seyi Makinde had ensured that his performances in all sectors, including people’s welfare and employment surpassed his first four years even when the administration is less than two years into the second term.”
