The ministry of labour and employment says Festus Keyamo,
its minister of state, will supervise the recruitment of 774,000 citizens for
the special public works programme.
The ministry said this in reaction to the resolutions of
both chambers of the national assembly which asked that the minister be barred
from supervising the recruitment process.
The national assembly said instead of the minister, the
National Directorate of Employment (NDE) should handle the recruitment
exercise.
Keyamo had clashed with some lawmakers when he appeared
before a legislative panel over the programme.
The lawmakers accused Keyamo of hijacking the programme from
the NDE, but the minister fired back, alleging they were seeking to allocate
job slots to themselves.
The national assembly later suspended programme.
TheCable had reported that President Muhammadu Buhari gave
Keyamo the go-ahead to execute the programme, despite the position of the
lawmakers.
Speaking with The Punch on Wednesday, Charles Akpan, deputy
director, press and public relations for the ministry of labour, said Keyamo is
still in charge of the recruitment exercise.
He said nothing has changed since Buhari gave the go-ahead.
Akpan said the exercise would be supervised by Keyamo, under
whose office the NDE operates.
“The special works programme is with the NDE, but our
ministry is the supervising ministry for NDE and because of that, we monitor
their activities and the ministry of labour was given the responsibility to
handle that assignment, and it is under the supervision of the minister of
state,” he said.
“So, whatever the directorate does, it would report to the
minister of state; so nothing has changed.”
Keyamo had warned Nasir Laden, NDE director-general, of
severe penalties if he further breaches the directives of his ministry on the
recruitment.
He asked the DG to halt further arrangements with the
national assembly committees on an alternative plan to implement the programme.
Bala Na’Allah, senator representing Kebbi south, had said
Keyamo risked going to jail over the matter.
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