OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, popularly known as TRACE, has responded to complaints from applicants over the ongoing recruitment exercise and the Computer-Based Test (CBT) reportedly scheduled for Thursday, May 14, 2026.
Some applicants had earlier expressed concern to the Agency and the Ogun State Government through online Media platforms after failing to receive invitations for the CBT examination despite being shortlisted during the agency’s recruitment process announced in 2025.
The affected applicants questioned why only certain candidates were invited, calling on the agency to ensure fairness and transparency in the recruitment exercise.
Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer of TRACE, Babatunde Akinbiyi, clarified that the candidates invited for the CBT were only those who applied for senior cadre positions from Grade Level 07 and above.
According to him, recruitment into senior cadre positions is handled solely by the Ogun State Civil Service Commission and not by TRACE.
He explained that the Civil Service Commission is constitutionally empowered to conduct recruitment for officers within that category, including the invitation of applicants for CBT examinations.
Babatunde stated that applicants who applied for senior cadre positions and met the necessary requirements would have received invitations from the commission to participate in the examination exercise.
He added that TRACE is only directly responsible for recruitment into junior cadre positions, specifically for applicants seeking employment from Grade Levels 01 to 06.
The spokesperson assured applicants in those categories that the recruitment process had not been abandoned and that they should expect further communication from the agency in due course.
He explained that the recruitment exercise experienced delays due to several factors, including the hosting of the National Sports Festival, also known as the Gateway Games, in Ogun State.
According to him, preparations and activities surrounding the games affected the continuation of the recruitment process at the time.
Babatunde also disclosed that the retirement of the former TRACE Commander-General during the period contributed to the suspension of the exercise.
He noted that the combination of administrative changes and other state government engagements slowed down the process after the initial shortlisting of candidates.
The TRACE spokesperson further revealed that the agency originally planned to recruit about 1,000 personnel, while over 8,000 applicants reportedly applied for positions within the lower cadre category.
He, however, assured applicants that the recruitment process remains active and would continue as originally planned.
He urged candidates, especially those who applied for Grade Levels 01 to 06 positions, to remain patient, assuring them that invitations for interviews and other stages of the recruitment exercise would be communicated soon.
