Major opposition parties have criticised the Federal Government for failing to address Nigeria’s deepening economic challenges, highlighting the overwhelming response to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) 2024/2025 recruitment as a reflection of worsening hardship.
The NCS recently disclosed that it received 573,519 applications for just 3,927 available positions within a week of opening the recruitment process. This staggering figure underscores the country’s unemployment crisis, with applicants ranging from university graduates to holders of secondary school certificates.
While the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, had announced the government’s approval for the recruitment exercise, opposition leaders argue that the high number of job seekers is a direct consequence of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s inability to create a favorable economic environment.
### Labour Party: Recruitment Turnout “Scandalous”
Labour Party National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, described the situation as “scandalous,” lamenting the stark disparity between available positions and the sheer volume of applicants.
“They are looking for 3,927 candidates, and almost 600,000 people applied. This highlights the level of poverty, insecurity, and decay introduced by this government in the last year,” Ifoh said.
He also alleged that job slots may have been pre-allocated to connected individuals, further compounding the public’s frustration.
### NNPP: Government Prioritising Revenue Over Welfare
Similarly, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, criticised the administration’s focus on revenue generation at the expense of citizen welfare.
“Most of these applicants are not necessarily interested in a Customs career; they’re just desperate to find a job and make ends meet,” Johnson stated.
He urged the government to address inflation and reduce the cost of living to create a conducive environment for private sector job creation.
“The government focuses on collecting revenue but neglects its primary duty: the welfare of the people. Lowering inflation and cost of living will encourage entrepreneurs and reduce desperate situations like this,” Johnson added.
This recruitment exercise highlights the growing unemployment crisis in Nigeria, as opposition parties call for urgent measures to stimulate economic recovery and reduce poverty.
