TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Festus Keyamo, minister of state for labour and employment, to proceed with the execution of the special public works progamme. 

Senior presidential sources confirmed the president’s directive on the programme to TheCable.

Keyamo had come in collision with the national assembly over the legislature’s insistence on dictating the process of the programme.

The national assembly committee on labour suspended the programme in the heat of its face-off with the minister.

At a meeting in June, members of the committee were near fisticuffs with the minister who was walked out of the event.

But Keyamo accused the committee of seeking to hijack the programme and to appropriate some job slots to themselves.

He also accused the national assembly committee of challenging the president by its action.

He said the legislators acted beyond their powers.

TheCable understands Keyamo met with the president and reeled off his encounter with the national assembly committee over the programme.

The president was said to be furious, bemoaning the national assembly’s knack for meddling in matters on the purview of the executive.

He asked the minister to proceed with the execution of the programme and to ensure it is conducted ”strictly according to existing laws”.

He also asked the director-general of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to halt any alternative plan on the programme with the national assembly committee.

Keyamo had inaugurated the committees made up of 20 people in each state which will be in charge of engaging 774,000 citizens in the special works programme.

Nigerians enlisted on the programme are expected to carry out public services such as street sweeping, waste disposal and the like. The programme is aimed at engaging young jobless citizens as well as providing a means of sustenance for them.