The Senate, on Tuesday, insisted that it is the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) that is statutorily empowered to carry out the recruitment of 774,000 low skilled Nigerians for the special public works scheme.
It could be recalled that the Senate and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Kayamo SAN have been at daggers drawn over who should carry out the recruitment.
While Keyamo insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari specifically directed him to carry out the recruitment, the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment thinks otherwise.
According to the Senate panel, the NDE is to anchor the recruitment under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
However, the Upper Chamber following a motion moved by the Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), insisted that the implementation of the scheme remained under the purview of the NDE.
The Senate argued that the N52 billion appropriated for the programme was done under the budget of the NDE for implementation.
It therefore asked the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity to stick to its supervisory role.
“The appropriation of 52 billion for the 774,000 public works scheme is vested in the NDE and therefore must be implemented accordingly, while acknowledging the supervisory role of Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity,” the Senate said in its resolution.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his closing remarks, said the National Assembly still stands on the fact and the law that NDE is entirely responsible for the implementation of the programme.
“The ministry has supervisory role and the National Assembly has the oversight function,” Lawan said.
He assured that the National Assembly would oversight the scheme very closely so that Nigerians benefit.