By Douglas Princemola
Owerri, Nigeria — Concern is mounting over the prolonged employment embargo affecting Imo State’s 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs), as no official recruitment has taken place since 2017. The situation has sparked growing frustration among unemployed youths and local communities, who now look to the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) for urgent intervention.
The freeze, which began under former Governor Rochas Okorocha, has persisted under the current administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma, with no clear explanation or plan for reversal. This seven-year gap in recruitment has deepened youth unemployment, weakened grassroots governance, and exacerbated rural insecurity.
Critics say NULGE, the statutory body responsible for championing the welfare of local government workers, has remained conspicuously silent. Stakeholders are now urging the Union’s President in Imo State, Comrade Okechukwu Charles Okere—who also serves as Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)—to take immediate action.
There is no justification for this silence,” said one local analyst. “If NULGE truly represents grassroots interests, it must lead the charge to lift the employment embargo.”
Advocates argue that lifting the freeze and launching a statewide recruitment drive would not only reduce joblessness but also strengthen public service delivery and local economic development.
ThePressman Newspaper is calling on Comrade Okere and the NULGE leadership to engage directly with Governor Uzodimma and demand the restoration of local government employment opportunities.
“The last time Imo youths were given a chance to work in their LGAs was in 2017. The time to act is now,” the editorial states.
As tension grows, all eyes are on NULGE to break its silence and push for action that could change the future of grassroots governance in Imo State.
