The War between the Minister of state for Labour, Festus Keyamo and the joint National Assembly Committee may not be over yet.
This is because hours after his clash against the legislators over the creation of 774, 000 jobs, Keyamo has denied the purported Suspension of the Selection Process and directed all States Selection Committees to Proceed With their assignments without fear or favour.
In a fresh statement signed by the Minister Personally, Keyamo said he went on invitation to brief the national assembly joint committee on labour on the implementation of the Special Public Works Programme so far.
However, there was a misunderstanding between his team and the legislators, on why he did not privately submit the program to them for vetting before taking certain steps.
Keyamo said in the statement that the legislators suggested that they supposed to have input on how the programme should be implemented.
This to him means, they want to control the programme as to who gets what, where and how.
The Minister said he insisted that he could not surrender the programme to their control since their powers under the constitution does not extend to that, which was why they insisted on a closed door session.
Keyamo said his explanation in the presence of the media infuriated the lawmakers who asked for apology insisting that their powers to expose corruption provided for in section 88 of the Constitution cannot be exercised in private, as a result, there was no need for him to apologies.
The minister said he did not walk out on the lawmakers but insisted that the purported suspension of the work of the Selection Committees nationwide, until they decide how the programme should be run and who should be in those Committees, is tantamount to challenging the powers of Mr. President.
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Keyamo insists the powers of lawmakers under section 88 of the 1999 Constitution is only limited to investigations, but NOT TO GIVE ANY DIRECTIVE TO THE EXECUTIVE, saying a Committee or Committees of both chambers do not even have powers to pass binding Resolutions, they can only make recommendations to Plenary.
In this case, even Plenary CANNOT GIVE DIRECTIVES to the Executive.
The minister, therefore, directed all the Committees set up nationwide made up of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, transport workers, Market Women, CSOS, Youth Organisations and traditional rulers to proceed with their work unhindered, insisting Only Mr. President can stop their work.
Editor :Tunde Orebiyi
