Nigerian government to commence 774,000 jobs recruitment

The Nigerian Government has announced the commencement of the Special Public Works Programme aimed at employing 774,000 citizens, a thousand from each of the 774 local government areas in the country.

Penpushing reports that, this was made known in an official twitter handle on Tuesday, stating that, “the Special Public Works Programme of the Federal Government has kicked off nationwide. The State Selection Committees have been inaugurated and have commenced work,”

The announcement comes about a week after the National Assembly asked that the programe be suspended following rift between the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the lawmakers on how the programme should proceed

Penpushing recalled that, the Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, and the joint committee on labour were involved in a war of words last week over the planned employment of 774,000 Nigerians by the government.

The Minister accused the lawmakers of wanting to sabotage the recruitment process despite receiving 15 per cent jobs slots, and this happened at a meeting aimed at discussing the progress of the planned employment.

Penpushing further reports that, the lawmakers on their parts insisted that the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), is meant to implement the recruitment under a special works programme, and also accused Keyamo of hijacking the programme from the directorate.

The Minister in reacting alleged the national assembly of trying to take over the project, while committee later demanded that the programme be suspended until the modalities for the exercise have been explained to the lawmakers.

Penpushing also reports the lawmakers It also mandated its Committees on Labour and Employment on to invite the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige and other relevant officials of the ministry to brief the joint committee on the modalities for the implementation of the programme.

The labour Minister   appeared before members of the committee and the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, at the National Assembly on Tuesday and tendered an apology on behalf of  Keyamo after which the latter was asked to hands-off the project for the National Directorate of Employment(NDE).

Penpushing reports that, Keyamo who was not satisfied  with the resolution, insisted that the programme cannot be implemented without his approval according to the National Directorate of Employment(NDE )Act.

The Minister for State on Labour posited that  the controversy surrounding the programme is an attempt by the National Assembly to bypass him in the implementation of the project, and confirming the take off of the project on Tuesday, Keyamo said he had the approval of President Muhammed Buhari.

Penpushing reports that, as at the time of filing this report, it was not however,  clear if Keyamo has the backing of the National Assembly, while efforts to get the reaction of the chairman of the joint committee, Godiya Akwashiki, were unsuccessful

Meanwhile,about N52 billion has been allocated for the Special Public Works Programme in the 2020 budget.