The Akwa Ibom State Government has continued its civil service recruitment oral interviews, with the exercise now entering Day 33 as officials insist the process is being driven by merit, transparency and technology.
Candidates in the Higher Assistant Coach Officer cadre appeared before the interview panel as the screening exercise moved forward in Uyo. Officials said the interviews have continued in an orderly and professional manner, reflecting the government’s effort to maintain due process throughout the recruitment exercise.
The current interview stage follows an earlier Computer-Based Test introduced by Governor Umo Eno’s administration as the first major screening phase. The CBT was designed to handle the large volume of applications in a more transparent and standardised way, while reducing the number of candidates proceeding to the oral interview stage.
Government figures show that more than 37,000 people applied for the recruitment exercise, while over 33,000 candidates eventually sat for the CBT. From that number, 12,502 candidates scored 50 per cent and above and were shortlisted for oral interviews.
The state government has presented the CBT as a key part of its reform effort in public sector recruitment. Officials say the system was adopted to reduce human interference, promote fairness and ensure that only candidates who met the required benchmark progressed to the next phase.
The oral interview process, which began earlier this year, is therefore being conducted from a significantly reduced pool of applicants who emerged from the computer-based screening stage.
Speaking during the ongoing exercise, Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service Commission, Mrs Ekereobong Umoh, commended candidates for their patience, cooperation and orderly conduct.
She said the commission remains committed to a transparent and merit-based recruitment process aimed at strengthening the state civil service and improving service delivery.
Umoh added that the recruitment exercise aligns with the vision of the Akwa Ibom State Government to build a more efficient and effective public service under the ARISE Agenda.
The deployment of the CBT has also been seen as part of the state’s broader digital governance push, with officials arguing that technology can improve accountability, speed and credibility in large-scale public sector hiring.
As the oral interviews continue into the 33rd day, the state government appears determined to sustain a recruitment process built on measurable performance and structured assessment, rather than influence or patronage.
