From Sanni Onogu, Abuja
Minister of Employment Labour and Productivity, Senate Chris Ngige, on Tuesday apologised to the National Assembly over the recent altercation between the Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo (SAN) and a joint committee of the National Assembly.
Keyamo had disagreed with the committee on the processes and modalities for implementing the Special Public Works (SPW) programme of the Federal Government meant to hire 774,000 youths across Nigeria.
The beneficiaries are expected to be paid N20,000 per month for three months, beginning from October to December 2020.
Ngige apologised when he visited the Senate President Ahmad Lawan in Abuja.
Read Also: On the federal government’s 774,000 jobs
Keyamo and other top officials of the ministry were in the minister’s entourage.
Keyamo had told reporters that he was not bound by the Director of the National Assembly, saying he will approach the President for final directives on the matter.
Ngige said: “We deeply regret the incident that happened at the last visit, the altercations that followed it between my Minister of State and members of the joint committee. Therefore, we decided that as a team, we will come in full force and give you the necessary information that you will need so that we can fast-track this programme.
“Today in the Ninth Senate, we are enjoying a good and robust relationship with the legislature and some of us who have passed through this institution will do everything possible to maintain that relationship.
“Therefore, Mr Senate President, I apologise on behalf of the ministry for what took place at the last time and I hope this apology will be taken by the members of the committee and the entire National Assembly because I am aware and I know that a committee is a representative of the whole.”
Lawan said the process must begin afresh, stressing that the National Assembly had the right to demand answers about the programme.
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