Indications have emerged that President Muhammadu Buhari has given the Minister of State Labour, Festus Keyamo (SAN), the approval to begin the recruitment of 774, 000 youths under the Special Public Works Programme.
Keyamo confirmed that the President had directed him to continue with the exercise which was earlier suspended by the National Assembly following a controversy that ensued on the matter.
The minister in a text message to The Punch on Tuesday said, “I have the instructions of my boss, Mr President, to proceed with the supervision of the preparation for the execution of the programme in accordance with the law.”
The lawmakers and Keyamo have accused each other of trying to hijack, while the National Directorate of Employment, the implementing agency of the project has also pointed accusing to the Minister.
The meeting between Keyamo and the joint committee of the National Assembly on labour, ended in a fiasco when the minister insisted that the parley should be held in the open to the consternation of the NASS members who demanded a closed-door meeting.
Keyamo consequently left in annoyance vowing not to suspend the recruitment as directed by the lawmakers.
He argued that the lawmakers had no power to give directives to the executive under section 88 of the 1999 constitution.
He stated, “I only insisted on the provision of the constitution; I insist that they have no power under section 88 of the 1999 constitution. Their powers under section 88 of the 1999 Constitution is only limited to investigations, but not to give any directive to the executive.”
