By Kidega Livingstone
Former Commissioner of Nzara County, Western Equatoria State, Zizi Richard, has urged students in the higher institutions of learning in the country to be job creators rather than job seekers.
Richard, who was the commissioner for Nzara County from 2023 to 2024, gave a speech on Friday at Kuda University in Juba.
He said many university graduates have become disappointed after failing to secure white-collar jobs in big firms and other sectors.
“As you enter the world, get ready to create your own job,” Richard told students. “It’s not enough to get a paper; don’t think of employment; you need to employ someone; you need to be a job creator, not a job seeker.”
“You also know very well that there are many youths in our population who are looking for jobs, and there are few companies that employ fresh students, so don’t sleep,” he challenged the students.
He claimed that many graduates are eyeing politics as the last option, adding that it’s not advisable for fresh graduates to go for politics because it’s an appointment opportunity.
“Politicians are appointees; today you will be appointed and tomorrow you will not be there. Do other things to avoid politics; I know you will be a good politician,” he advised.
He encouraged the students to be pillars of the nation in various parts and aspects of the country, saying they should work hard after completing their studies.
A Member of Parliament at the Transitional National Legislative Assembly from Western Equatoria State, Naomi Yesto Tujangi, advised young ladies at the university to first graduate before getting married.
She said men nowadays also go for educated ladies for a better family.
“I am encouraging you that when graduation comes, all of you should go. Money is not going to get finished at all. Even men these days don’t want uneducated women; they also expect good income in the family, which is why they go for educated women,” she advised ladies.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kuda University, Robert Lomoro, said the university was engaging the government and stakeholders to ensure that students were wholesomely equipped with the required skills before joining the job market.
He said Kuda University will open its branches in Juba strictly for the faculty of medicine and other faculties, Nzara for the faculty of agriculture, and Terekeka for the faculty of fisheries.
“We want our students to be marketable in the job market. We want them to create their jobs rather than being job seekers,” he expressed.