774,000 Jobs: Ngige Apologises To Lawan Over Keyamo Altercation With NASS Members

Minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige said his subordinate, Festus Keyamo, has prepared a paper position on how the recruitment of 774,000 persons will be carried out.

Ngige made this known when he met with the senate president, Ahmad Lawan over the implementation of the programme on Tuesday.

You recall that Keyamo, who is the minister of state for labour and employment, last week engaged in a shouting match with some senators and house of representatives members while responding to questions about the recruitment.

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) is expected to implement the recruitment under a special works programme.

While the lawmakers had accused Keyamo of hijacking the programme from NDE, the minister hit back, saying they were the ones trying to take over the project.

The legislators later said the programme would remain suspended until details of how it would be implemented are made available to them, but Keyamo has maintained that they do not have the powers to do so.

Speaking at the Tuesday meeting with Lawan, Ngige apologised to Senate President over the outburst of  Keyamo regarding the recruitment exercise.

“We regret what has happened. I apologise on behalf of the ministry and I hope that the apology will be taken. I therefore ask that you forgive and forget and we start on a new page” Ngige said.

“My minister has put out a position paper. Nothing is sacrosanct there; we can still discuss.”

On his part, Lawan said all actions taken so far as regards the engagement of 774,000 citizens are “null and void.”

The senate president insisted that the lawmakers were right to ask for details on how the programme would be implemented.

According to him, the NDE has the capacity to implement the programme.

“You will have our support if the ministry does not go into it,” Lawan said.