Chuwang Emmanuel


Dennis Delilah, a 33-year-old graduate says that she picked up a street sweeping job to help assist her parents in training her siblings.

Ms. Dennis said she is proud of her street cleaning job that pays N20,000 monthly than staying at home to see her siblings “suffering,” without her assisting them.

Dennis who is the firstborn in a family of six is among the hundreds of sweepers, recently recruited by the Taraba state government to keep Jalingo the state capital clean.

The scope of work of the street sweepers, whom Governor Agbu Kefas employed, includes the sweeping of pedestrian bridges, collection of bagged litter and silts, and other materials that deface the streets and highways.

Ms. Dennis, a 2018 graduate of business administration from Taraba state university Jalingo, told Universal Reporters her experiences since graduation.

“The quest to assist my family because my parents could not adequately take care of our needs and want to make me do all sorts of work.



“I graduated from Taraba state university in 2018, I read business administration, and after my service in 2019, I worked with a property agent from 2020-2021, from there I worked briefly with the Airtel office here in Jalingo as a casual staff.
She disclosed that apart from the sweeping job, she recently got. She is also working as a sales lady in a wine shop.



“I realised I was not making enough money from my sales girl work to take care of my younger ones, so I proceeded to take the cleaning job.

“It was while I was in the wine shop that I got a call that there will be massive employment of street sweepers, I told one of my uncles that we are in the same church with, that I am interested but he said he can’t allow me to do such a job because I am a graduate but I pleaded with him, he then asked me to come the next day, that’s how I started the job.”

“Some of my friends were not happy that I decided to take up this kind of job. But I told them since they cannot meet my needs, and are unable to get me a better job, I have to do this I have no option than to combine the two works.”


She said all her parents are still alive but her Dad’s salary as local government staff, is very meager as such she is left with no option but to assist him in catering for her younger ones.




“There is joy in enjoying what you worked for. My father is a local government staff due to hardship and meager salary my siblings hardly go to school, I have three siblings that are in School. Two are in higher institutions while one is still in secondary school, is God that is helping us.

“I decided to pick up the job in other to assist them, my younger brother just got admission and he needed me to assist him with some items and foodstuffs, my salary at the wine shop is just fifteen thousand naira, as such I could not afford to assist him it was based on that that I decided to go for this work.


“I come to work as early as 4:30 am then closed by 6:30 am after sweeping my own portion, I then go home, do some house chores, take my bath, then by 8:30 I go to the wine shop and closed by 5pm.

“I have to make this sacrifice and deny myself all luxuries because this is the only employment I have and I have responsibilities to meet, like to take care of my family.”
“Even though I am not happy finding myself doing these jobs but my joy is that I am doing something that is legitimate and I prefer it than going out selling my body to sustain myself. There is dignity in labour.”

Her call to other unemployed graduates

“I am calling on other young graduates out there not to rely on white-collar jobs alone, let’s engage in things that will help us to be self-reliant.

I am not happy, doing this as a graduate but I am not ashamed of what I am doing. Things are hard everywhere so we have to take advantage of any opportunity to assist our families.”

“I am calling on other young graduates roaming the street not to shy away but take the opportunity of this gesture to at least start something before finding a better job.


“My call goes especially to young ladies that believed that sleeping around is the only way to survive to go get a legitimate job to do no matter how little is the payment.

A Call to the government to sustain the gesture.

“The governor’s gesture is very appreciative and I hope that government will sustain it.” She said

“The present governor has at least shown some level of seriousness in youth and women empowerment, no matter how little the amount it will assist many families. I am very happy for such an opportunity”

“As you can see there are serious changes in Jalingo everywhere is now clean, unlike in the past everywhere is dirty that alone gives me joy.

Her Dream

“My dream in life is to be a successful businesswoman and I believe with God it shall come to pass sooner or later.” She concluded.

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