The Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the implementation of the plan to recruit 774,000 Nigerians for Special Public Works across the country.
The position of both chambers of the National Assembly followed a sharp disagreement between the National Assembly Joint Committee on Labour, Employee and Productivity and the Minister for State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, over the modalities for appointing the 20-member Selection Committee for the programme.
Keyamo who had appeared at an interactive session organized by the joint committee opposed a resolution of the Joint Committee to resolve into a closed door session.
The Minister said he rejected the lawmakers decision to quiz him behind closed doors because of the need to ensure transparency and accountability.
However, the Senate had on Wednesday held an executive session apparently to deliberate on the fiasco between the Minister and the lawmakers.
It was learnt that during the closed session which lasted for about two hours, the lawmakers expressed shock at the behavour of Keyamo and his insurance that the National Assembly cannot direct him on what to do concerning the recruitment.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and his House of Representatives counterpart, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in a statement insisted that the implementation of the programme must be put on hold until its modalities are explained to the National Assembly.
