The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has openly disputed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s recent claim of creating 250,000 jobs within the past two years, describing the assertion as exaggerated and misleading. The party criticized the governor’s administration for its failure to address critical employment gaps in the education and healthcare sectors, raising concerns over the credibility of his job statistics.
Kola Olabisi, the APC’s Director of Media and Information, expressed skepticism over Adeleke’s figures, questioning how such a large number of jobs could have been generated when the administration has consistently failed to employ teachers and healthcare workers in public schools and hospitals. “Is it not strange that Governor Adeleke, who could not employ teachers and health workers for three years, now claims to have created 250,000 jobs?” Olabisi queried.
The APC further criticized the recent recruitment of 10,000 youths into the Imole Youth Corps, suggesting that the program was being used as a cover-up to inflate job creation numbers. “It is laughable that while critical sectors like education and health are severely understaffed, the government is focused on political recruitment schemes with no clear long-term impact,” Olabisi added.
The party also sympathized with thousands of job seekers who were allegedly misled into purchasing employment forms under Adeleke’s administration, with no concrete plans for actual recruitment. They accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government of exploiting the desperation of unemployed youths without delivering on its promises.
In response, Governor Adeleke defended his administration’s achievements, attributing the job creation success to strategic local content policies, support for small businesses, and youth empowerment initiatives. Speaking in Osogbo during the induction of the Imole Youth Corps members, he reiterated his commitment to addressing unemployment through sustainable programs.
“Our administration is dedicated to creating an enabling environment for both government-driven and private sector job creation. The Imole Youth Corps is part of our broader strategy to engage youths across Osun’s 332 political wards, providing them with meaningful roles in health, security, environment, and education,” Adeleke stated.
He highlighted that over N4 billion has been invested in revolving loan schemes to support grassroots entrepreneurs, contributing significantly to job creation across various sectors. According to Adeleke, the state’s agropreneur projects, small business grants, and infrastructural developments have also played a key role in reducing unemployment.
Moshood Olagunju, the Commissioner for Youth Development, backed the governor’s claims, emphasizing that the administration’s employment initiatives are well-structured and impactful. He announced plans to introduce a performance evaluation system to monitor the effectiveness of the Imole Youth Corps and other job creation programs.
“We are committed to transparency and accountability. Our performance evaluation system will ensure that all employment initiatives deliver measurable results,” Olagunju affirmed.
Despite the heated exchange between the APC and the PDP-led government, residents of Osun State remain hopeful for sustainable job opportunities that will address the growing unemployment crisis in the region.
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