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Tag: NASS

  • TNG Analysis: NASS wears new face as NASC unseats Sani-Omolori

    TNG Analysis: NASS wears new face as NASC unseats Sani-Omolori

    …institution heading towards a crucible

    …first time civil servants are unceremoniously sent packing

    The whole of last week, the management of Nigeria’s apex legislative body was a battlefield as the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) fired 150 top officers of the assembly.

    Never in the history of NASS that top civil servants are unceremoniously sent out of service without the usual terminal notice.

    Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori a Kogi prince emerged in 2016 as the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) after serving meritoriously as the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

    He was indeed a super civil servant with so many years experience in global legislative business. But he got into a political web when the idea of tenure elongation came to fore in the 8th NASS.

    The condition of service was restructured to allegedly attract 40 years in service or 65 years age attainment before exit from service whichever comes first.

    But controversy had surrounded the terminal date of disengagement as some staff had stayed beyond the mandatory period particularly at the top echelon of NASS.

    But with this fresh directive, the Clerk of NASS, Sani Omolori and senior officers of the apex legislative assembly were unceremoniously shoved aside.

    In a press release issued by the commission on Wednesday entitled’NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVES THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR THE STAFF OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SERVICE AS 35 YEARS OF SERVICE OR 60 YEARS OF AGE WHICH EVER COMES FIRST’ the issue of terminal date has been adequately addressed.

    In the release signed by the Executive Chairman, Engr Ahmed Amshi said”Pursuant to its mandate as provided in the National Assembly Service Act 2014 (as amended), the National Assembly Service Commission at its 497th meeting held on Wednesday 15th July 2020 has approved the retirement age of the staff of the National Assembly Service as 35 years of service or 60 years of age whichever comes first.

    To this effect the Commission has approved the immediate retirement of staff of the National Assembly Service who have already attained the retirement age of 35 years of service or 60 years of age,

    Retirement letters would be issued to the affected staff accordingly.

    Apparently sensing there was a conspiracy somewhere along the line Sani-Omolori as CNA issued a counter directive same day declaring that the release should be ignored.

    He was susequently queried on Thursday and finally he was replaced by an acting CNA on Friday night of last week.

    The Crux of the matter now is how will 150 top officers in one swoop leave such a sensitive institution, won’t it lead to administrative hiccups?

    Or didn’t it occur to NASC that such an administrative shake up could lead to administrative gaps capable of turning NASS management into chaos.

    Yes a new look for NASS management is a welcome development but here is an institution that has been politically polarised since inception.

    Can NASC manage the hang over effect of this mass retirements of seasoned administrators within a short period particularly when those that occupy the complex are tenured politicians?

    These are few posers for NASC to take a proper look at before allowing one of the oldest Democratic institutions to head into a crucible.

  • BREAKING: Earth shaking revelations galore as Reps probe NDDC contract scams

    BREAKING: Earth shaking revelations galore as Reps probe NDDC contract scams

    …how N.7bn contract media consultancy job was allegedly awarded to an engineering firm

    … healthcare contract awarded to logistics firm

    ..contracts awarded without due process

    …contracts were awarded before Presidential approval

    Earth shaking revelations have been made at the ongoing House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) probe of alleged contract scams by the government interventionist agency.

    This is coming barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari cautioned government agencies to respect the National Assembly, and proper and well coordinated probe should be carried out on the Commission.

    Kolawole Johnson, a critical stakeholder at the panel revealed that a media consultancy job worth N.7bn was allegedly awarded to an engineering firm.

    He also told the panel that a healthcare contract was awarded to a logistics company worth N35m.

    The panel was also informed that these contracts were awarded on the 22nd of April and Presidential approval was given on the 30th of April.

     

    Details soon…

  • I won’t condone any disrespect to NASS, Buhari warns ministers, MDAs, others

    I won’t condone any disrespect to NASS, Buhari warns ministers, MDAs, others

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday warned all his appointees that he would not accept any act of disrespect to the National Assembly.

    According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President handed down the warning while receiving the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The statement was titled ‘President Buhari reads riot act to ministers, MDAs, Chief Executives on relationship with NASS.’

    Recall that the National Assembly and the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, were at loggerheads recently over the proposed 774,000 jobs.

    Keyamo had engaged members of the Senate and House of Representatives committee in a shouting match on the matter.

    But according to the statement, the President asked ministers and all heads of departments and agencies to, at all times, conduct themselves in ways that will not undermine the National Assembly as an institution, its leadership and members.

    The statement read, “In the course of their conversation, recent events at the National Assembly were highlighted and the President re-emphasised his utmost respect for the National Assembly, adding that any disrespect to the institution by any member of the executive branch will not be accepted.

    “Ministers and all heads of departments and agencies should at all times conduct themselves in ways that will not undermine the National Assembly as an institution, its leadership and members.”

    Earlier, Lawan and Gbajabiamila, during an interview with State House correspondents, said the National Assembly would no longer tolerate attitudes of government officials that were inimical to cordial relationship with executive.

    Lawan who spoke in the presence of Gbajabiamila , noted that the current National Assembly had so far had a cordial relationship with the Executive arm, attributing it to the President.

    He said, “If you are an appointee of the President, you are supposed to be reflective of the attitude of the President towards the National Assembly.”

  • COVID-19, NASS responsible for delay in scholarship payments – NDDC

    COVID-19, NASS responsible for delay in scholarship payments – NDDC

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has attributed the delay in meeting its obligations to the beneficiaries of its 2019 postgraduate foreign scholarship programme to the lockdown created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the inquest by the National Assembly.

    The NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili in a statement in Port Harcourt said the commission was making concerted efforts to effect the required payments.

    He said contrary to claims in some quarters, the NDDC had not abandoned the scholars describing them as the commission’s ambassadors.

    He said: “We are doing everything possible to make sure that the beneficiaries of the scholarship progamme are paid. We have done all the paper work required for the transfer of the funds. The delay in remitting the payments may have been as a result of some bottlenecks at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

    “The commission has no intention whatsoever to abandon the scholars who are our ambassadors. We are, therefore, doing everything possible to make sure that the beneficiaries of the scholarship progamme are paid.

    “The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown created the problem for the Commission to meet this obligation. Moreover, the current inquest by the National Assembly has not given the commission ample time to work. However, the processes for payment have gone far and the students will be made to smile in the quickest possible time.

    “The NDDC foreign scholarship scheme started in 2010, with the objectives to bridge the gap in the management cadre of the oil and gas sector of the Niger Delta region; address the dearth of professional human capital and capacity among the youths and prepare them for leadership and management positions in the oil and gas sector.

    “Till date, some 1,634 youths have been trained under the scheme, who turn out as better qualified youths armed to bring new learning to bear in different sectors of the Niger Delta economy.

    “We want to restate our determination to promote quality education for the people of the Niger Delta region. The stakeholders of the region should disregard unfounded allegations that the students were abandoned.”

  • 774,000 jobs: El-Rufai backs Keyamo in ‘battle’ against NASS

    774,000 jobs: El-Rufai backs Keyamo in ‘battle’ against NASS

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has backed the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo against the National Assembly (NASS).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Keyamo has been embroiled in altercations with the NASS over the 774, 000 Special Public Works of the Federal Government.

    Governor El-Rufai believes that Keyamo “is a dedicated patriot” and “a good man whose directions, decisions and actions are guided by public interest and concern for the voiceless”.

    Recall that the Senate Committee on Labour had in a meeting with the Senate President Ahmad Lawan and the Ministers of Labour declared that the earlier proposal on implementation of the project presented by Keyamo was null and void.

    However, Keyamo argued that the Constitution empowers his office to supervise the execution of the Special Public Works Programme of the Federal Government.

    He further stated that the directive by the National Assembly as to the execution of the project was not binding on him.

    “This is a great Constitutional issue that will go to the Attorney-General at the end of the day for interpretation.

    “Just like I said, if the Presidency says I should step aside and allow them hijack the process, because the game as you have seen today is simply that they are conniving with certain functionaries of government to design the programme and hijack it against the wishes of Nigerians, then that is it.

    “That is what I have been against, and I will continue to stand by that. They are very distinguished members, but the law is the law, and our Constitution is the Constitution,” Keyamo stated in an interview.

  • 774, 000 jobs: Again, Keyamo, NASS clash on debate over project execution

    774, 000 jobs: Again, Keyamo, NASS clash on debate over project execution

    The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo has again reiterated to the Nigerian senate that the constitution empowers his office to supervise the execution of the Special Public Works Programme of the Federal Government.

    Keyamo made the disclosure in a press statement made available to TheNEwsGuru (TNG) after the Senate Committee on Labour called for a new proposal to implement the project.

    Earlier today, Senate Committee on Labour had in a meeting with the President of Senate Ahmad Lawan and Ministers of Labour declared that the earlier proposal on implementation of the project presented by Keyamo was null and void.

    Senate at the meeting directed the Director-Generator of NDE, Dr Nasiru Mohammed to present a new proposal for implementation of the program,insisting that NDE must implement the programme and not the Ministry.

    KEYAMO’s reaction:

    THE DIRECTIVE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE DG OF NDE TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO PLAN AND EXECUTE THE SPECIAL PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE MINISTER

    Earlier today, I appeared again before the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Labour and Employment. Before the Committee sat, we paid a courtesy call on the Senate Leadership where the Senate President announced that I, as supervising Minister of the NDE, should hands off the preparation and execution of the Programme. He further directed the DG, NDE to bring his plans for the execution of the Program DIRECTLY to the National Assembly on Monday, July 13, 2020, for scrutiny and approval. The Joint Committee also took a similar position and adjourned.

    With the utmost humility, I regret to say these directives are against the provisions of the NDE Act made by the National Assembly itself and the Constitutional provisions on Separation of Powers.

    1. By virtue of Section 3 (2)of the NDE Act, as supervising Minister, I am the Chairman of the Board of NDE that superintendents and gives directions to the Management of the NDE

    2. That by virtue of section 15 of the NDE Act, I am also authorized, as supervising Minister, to give general directives to the Board and Management, with which they must comply.

    3. By virtue of Section 16 (1) of the NDE Act, the supervising Minister has the sole prerogative to constitute Committees for the Agency.

    4. ​In addition to the above, Section 6(2) of the National ​​​​Directorate of Employment Act states that, ‘The Director-​​​​General shall, subject to this Act, be the Chief Executive of the ​​​Directorate and shall be responsible to the Minister for the ​​​day-to-day management of the affairs of the Directorate.”

    ​5. By a memo Ref: CAO.143/S.1/T11/8 dated October 18, 2019, and forwarded to all Government functionaries by the ​​​Secretary to the Government of the Federation, I was mandated ​​​by Mr. President to oversee all the activities of the National ​​​​Directorate of Employment.

    ​6. In addition to the above, by a letter, Ref: SH/COS/14/A/1217 ​​​dated 6 May, 2020, Mr. President, once again, approved that I ​​​supervise the preparation and execution of the Special Public ​​​Works Programme domiciled under the N.D.E

    However, today, the National Assembly swept aside all these provisions of the law and Presidential directives and authorized the DG of NDE to proceed to submit a plan without the express approval of the Minister. This was done in a desperate bid to get me out of the way AT ALL COST.

    My involvement in this process so far is to constitute multi-sectoral Committees at State levels to ensure a grassroots selection process. This was done after an inter-Ministerial Committee headed by the DG NDE made such a recommendation which I accepted. As stated above, I am authorized to do so by virtue of Section 16 (1) of the NDE Act. As a result all the sponsored allegations and attacks in relation to my role so far are nothing but cheap blackmail. My actions are backed by law.

    In the circumstances of the above, I regret to say I am not bound by such a patently illegal and unconstitutional resolution by the National Assembly and I am only bound by the provisions of the law and the Constitution that all public officers swore on oath to uphold.

  • 774,000 jobs: Keyamo writes NASS Committee, highlights issues at stake before second appearance

    774,000 jobs: Keyamo writes NASS Committee, highlights issues at stake before second appearance

    Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN has written to the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Labour, Employment and Productivity on issues at stake concerning the Special Public Works programme.

    The programme which was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and handed over to Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo (SAN) for coordination was meant to temporarily absorb 774, 000 vulnerable Nigerians affected by the novel coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic.

    By the arrangement, 1, 000 Nigerians who would earn N60,000 each on a monthly basis for three months are expected to be recruited in each of the 774 local government areas, of the country.

    The programme was expected to take off in October this year.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the minister and the lawmakers were last Tuesday involved in a stormy session over the programme which was inconclusive.

    To avoid a repeat, the minister said it was best to intimate the lawkers and the general public of details of the programme.

    Read his letter below:

    774,000 JOBS: KEYAMO PUBLICLY OUTLINES THE ISSUES AT STAKE BEFORE SECOND APPEARANCE AT NASS JOINT COMMITTEE

    Monday, July 6, 2020

    To the Joint Committee of the National Assembly
    on Labour, Employment and Productivity,

    Through:

    The Chairman,
    Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity,

    AND

    The Chairman,
    House of Representatives’ Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity,

    National Assembly Complex,
    Abuja.

    Dear Distinguished Senators and Hon. Members,

    RE: INVITATION TO A JOINT INTERACTIVE MEETING

    Following our inconclusive Interactive Meeting on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, I have been informed again of another Interactive Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 7, 2020. I thank you for another opportunity to clarify all the issues regarding the execution of the Extended Special Public Works Programme which is very dear to the heart of Mr. President and millions of Nigerians to whom we are all accountable.

    However, I have decided to make a written submission on issues surrounding the Programme to the Joint Committee ahead of my appearance this time for the following reasons:

    (a) To properly lay before the Joint Committee and the Nigerian people in writing the modus operandi for executing this Programme as it is the responsibility of my office to supervise the preparation and execution of this Programme by the clear directives of Mr. President conveyed on the 6th of May, 2020.

    (b) To help the Distinguished Senators, Honourable Members and the Nigeria people to narrow down the issues at stake before the said interaction.

    (c) To have the opportunity to fully express myself in advance as time and circumstances may not allow me to fully express myself before the Joint Committee. This is because, on Friday, July 3, 2020, in a programme called HARD COPY on Channels Television, the Chairman of the House Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Honourable Muhammad Ali Wudil have already publicly accused me of flouting certain unknown rules in arriving at the States’ Selection Committees. Consequently, I may not be able to get a fair hearing from him, especially as he is the one that has been at the forefront of insisting on controlling and dictating the execution of this programme behind the scene. He also made frantic efforts to stop the inauguration of the States’ Selection Committees through series of phone calls to me.

    (d) It is also to avoid a situation where any attempt to fully express myself during the session or to call in aid provisions of the law and the Constitution as the basis of some of my actions so far may be misinterpreted as an affront to the Joint Committee. I would rather express those thoughts here and keep a dignified silence if some of those issues become points of contention again. This is because as a trained lawyer and a member of the Inner Bar (a Senior Advocate of Nigeria), and having sworn to uphold the Constitution as a public officer, I would be doing a great disservice to my primary constituency (the legal profession) and to my God-given conscience if I am made to concede issues that I know are constitutionally, legally and morally wrong just to let “things go on”.

    (e) Finally, because the main purpose of your powers of investigation under section 88 of the 1999 Constitution is to “expose corruption, inefficiency and waste”, it is important we lay bare our plans for the Programme publicly. “Exposure”, to my mind, will require a public inquiry, not a private one, if we must
    keep strictly to the provisions of the Constitution. Therefore, my writing in advance will absolve me of any accusation of impertinence as I most respectfully regret to say that I would be unable to say anything outside of these submissions in any closed door session.

    EXTENDED SPECIAL PUBLIC WORKS ACROSS THE 774 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF THE FEDERATION

    INTRODUCTION:

    (1) You will recall that on Monday, 6th of April, 2020, the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning in a Press conference, announced the approval of Mr. President for the extension of this programme to all 36 states and the FCT from October- December, 2020 as a means of mitigating the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy.

    The Programme is also expected to provide modest stipends for itinerant workers to undertake roads rehabilitation and social housing construction, urban and rural sanitation, health extension and other critical services. Hence, the directive of Mr. President for the NDE to collaborate with other Ministries with rural components in their mandates to work out the modalities for the execution of this Programme.

    BASES FOR MY SUPERVISION OF THE PROGRAMME:

    ​(1a).​By a memo Ref: CAO.143/S.1/T11/8 dated October 18, 2019, and forwarded to all Government functionaries by the ​​​Secretary to the Government of the Federation, I was mandated ​​​by Mr. President to oversee all the activities of the National ​​​​Directorate of Employment.

    ​(1b).​In addition to the above, by a letter, Ref: SH/COS/14/A/1217 ​​​dated 6 May, 2020, Mr. President, once again, approved that I ​​​supervise the preparation and execution of the Special Public ​​​Works Programme domiciled under the N.D.E

    ​(1c).​In addition to the above, Section 6(2) of the National ​​​​Directorate of Employment Act states that, ‘The Director-​​​​General shall, subject to this Act, be the Chief Executive of the ​​​Directorate and shall be responsible to the Minister for the ​​​day-to-day management of the affairs of the Directorate.”

    ​(1d).​It is on the bases of these Presidential and legal mandates that I ​​​supervise this programme. “Supervision”, for all intents and ​​​ purposes, means “direction”, “command”, “administration” and ​​ “control”. In other words, the final buck, in all matters relating to ​ ​ this programme, stops on my table.

    MEETING WITH OTHER MINISTERS:

    (2) In furtherance to the directive of Mr. President, I conveyed a meeting with the following Ministers on Wednesday, 15th of April, 2020:
    (i).​Minister of Works and Housing
    ​(ii)​ Minister of Environment;
    (iii)​ Minister of Water Resources
    (iv)​ Minister of Agriculture
    (v)​ Minister of Transportation
    (vi)​ Minister of Health and,
    (vii)​ Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

    INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE

    (3) At the meeting, it was resolved that an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee be set up with the following mandates:
    (a) Strategize on the implementation framework
    (b) Collate the respective rural programmes for each ministry that ​​ can be implemented under the Extended Special Public Works
    (c) Review the implementation of the Pilot Programme and make ​necessary recommendations
    (d) Recommend appropriate implementation structure
    (e) Recommend appropriate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms ​and
    (f)​Develop an achievable implementation timeline.
    (4) Consequently and in exercise of my powers as Supervising Minister under Section 16 (1) of the NDE Act, I inaugurated a Special Inter-ministerial Committee on the Extended Special Public Works on Wednesday, 29th April, 2020 and appointed the Director-General, NDE to Chair the Committee. Members of the Committee included Directors representing the seven Ministries. (Committee List Attached).
    (5) This Committee sat for some weeks and in their collaborative capacity they proposed a list of projects within their Ministries that may require the intervention of the Extended Special Public Works Programme. Over 3,000 projects and 42,000 Manpower were proposed by them. In a Steering capacity, the Committee also made certain recommendations to me which I accepted substantially. It was this Inter-Ministerial Committee that recommended a 20-member States’ Selection Committee which I substantially accepted.

    20-MEMBER STATES’ SELECTION COMMITTEE

    (6) However, whilst addressing the Press on the 28th of May, 2020, on the progress we have made so far with the Programme. I laid out the composition of the 20-member States’ Selection Committee pursuant to the powers of the Minister under Section 16(1) of the NDE Act as follows:
    (i) A Chairman and Vice-Chairman who shall be indigenes of that ​​State or who are ordinarily resident in that State.
    (ii) The State Co-ordinator of the N.D.E of that State who will be the ​​ Secretary.
    (iii) ​One representative of the Governor of that State.
    (iv) The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria of that ​​ State or his representative/nominee.
    (v) The State Chairman of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic ​ Affairs or his representative/nominee.
    (vi) The State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport ​​​Workers or his representative/nominee.
    (vii) The market woman leader in that State
    (viii) Three persons (one from each Senatorial District) representing ​​ the traditional institutions in that State.
    (ix) Two persons (one male and one female) from each of the ​​​​Senatorial District of the State (that is six persons) representing ​​recognized youth organisations in those States.
    (x) A representative of a prominent Civil Society Organisation of that ​ State.
    (xi) Two persons representing some peculiar interests in those ​​​​States.

    (7) Let me state clearly here that all members of the State Selection Committees are not persons holding any official position in any of the registered political parties. If any of them listed is an official of any political party, then the State Chairman of the Selection Committee of the SPW shall fill that position with another person representing that interest. I stated this in order to make this process as apolitical as possible.

    IS THE 20-MEMBER COMMITTEE A WASTE OF NATIONAL RESOURCES?

    (8) Interestingly, despite the assertion of Hon. Muhammad Wudil on television that the twenty (20) members of the Committees would be a waste of national resources, if he had properly read the budget, he would have discovered that no provision has been made for the members to be paid any kind of personal allowance whatsoever. The only provision made in the budget is for Five Hundred Thousand Naira per State to cover the logistics of the entire Committee which would be used to move around the States, collate the names, buy stationeries and compile the names in printed form in all the Local Government Areas to forward to us in Abuja. Note that it is N500,000 for the entire Committees, not for individual members. If this is not patriotic service, I do not know what is.

    CAN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CIRCUMSCRIBE OR QUESTION THE DISCRETION OF THE MINISTER TO ESTABLISH THESE COMMITTEES?

    (9) My simple answer is NO. Once a person who is given discretionary powers by law exercises that discretion in a particular way, it is impossible to question the exercise of that discretion if it is done within the confines of the law. An example is the power of the President to appoint at least one Minister from each State. As long as the President does not go outside a particular State to pick a Minister for that State, nobody can question his discretion in picking a particular person as Minister from that State. Therefore, even Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution cannot avail the Joint Committee the power to question the discretion of the Minister to constitute Committees for the NDE under Section 16(1) of the NDE Act.

    WHY STATES’ SELECTION COMMITTEES INSTEAD OF ONLINE APPLICATIONS

    (10) The reasons are: (a) the categories of those to be engaged (which are largely unskilled workers) will not have the capacity and access to make online applications. (b) online applications would not ensure that the 1,000 persons to be selected would come from each Local Government Areas as, for example 300 persons may apply online from Lagos State, claiming to be applying to work in Sokoto State. (c) the selection process would be localized and would absolve us in Abuja the responsibility of selecting persons from different States.

    SLOTS TO POLITICAL OFFICE HOLDERS:

    (11) However, in the spirit of transparency and because of the need to be honest before Nigerians, we have said before that we are not unmindful of the fact that political office holders are also representatives of the people. We cannot also totally ignore them in the selection process. Their Constituents are also Nigerians. What we have tried to resist is A TOTAL TAKEOVER OF THE PROGRAMME BY POLITICIANS AND POLITICAL ACTORS, hence the multi-sectorial composition of the States’ Selection Committees.

    (12) As a result, the States’ Selection Committees have been instructed to allot to political office holders like our distinguished Senators, Honourable members, Ministers and Governors, a number in total not exceeding fifteen percent of the total beneficiaries in that State. This is to ensure that majority of Nigerians who do not belong to any of the political divides actually benefit substantially from this programme.

    (13) The actual break down of these numbers between the office holders have been communicated to the States’ Selection Committees. But if I understood Hon. Muhammad Wudil very well during his interview on HARD COPY on Channels Television, he alluded to the fact that he is uncomfortable with the fact that Ministers got a certain number of slots (30) from all the Local Government Areas in a State, whilst he as a Member of the House of Representatives got slots from only the Local Government Areas within his Constituency. But he should remember that there is only one Minister in almost all the States (except a few that have two), whilst a State like Kano where he comes from has 24 members of the House of Representatives. If those 24 members each takes slots from all the Local Government Areas available, there will be nothing left again for everyday people to share.

    (13a). Finally on this point, suffice to say that those persons to be recommended for engagement by political office holders that constitute the 15 percent so mentioned, must also be eligible persons to participate in this programme.

    APPROVAL OF SELECT BANKS:

    (14) I am also pleased to inform you that for the purpose of transparency and accountability in the process, the President approved the use of select banks to register and collate data of those to be engaged. The banks would open accounts for all beneficiaries and in the process obtain BVN for those without accounts. Consequently, all payments would be made from the CBN directly to the accounts of the beneficiaries. The banks will also simultaneously register the participants of the Special Works Programme. Apart from the transparency and accountability this will achieve, one of the benefits of the exercise is that more Nigerians would be captured in the financial system thereby enhancing the financial inclusion drive of Government. Eventually, the data collated by the banks would be passed on to us for use in the programme implementation.

    (15) It is important to note that this data to be collated would be used for other multifarious purposes relating to employment and social surveys. Already the National Bureau of Statistics, the National Population Commission and other Federal Government Agencies have requested for an allotment of persons from the 1,000 persons in each Local Government Areas to carry out special social surveys and data collation.

    MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PROJECTS:

    (16) For the ease of supervision and monitoring of such a large programme, the President approved the deployment of online technology to effectively supervise, track and monitor the entire process.

    (17) As a result, a domain name for an interactive website and online backend activities for the programme, www.specialpublicworks.gov.ng has been established.

    (18) A database containing the 774,000 participants and all the public works projects would be established. A final clean copy of the database of
    persons to be engaged would be delivered to us by the Banks we engaged to register and open accounts for them.

    (19) The website with an analytics dashboard will provide the level of work done on projects on a daily basis. It will also contain a robust feedback mechanism that will allow citizens provide independent assessment on projects.

    (20) Project owners and communities where projects are situated will also provide feedback through an online channel to our backend using their mobile devices.

    (21) Using technology, we will geotag projects and deploy public works project management software to judiciously allocate human resources to projects.

    (22) This various deployment will enable us supervise, track and monitor the programme effectively in accordance with Mr. President’s directive.

    DURATION OF PROGRAMME

    (23) The programme starts on the 1st of October, 2020. However, we are already running out of time because before October 1, 2020, we still have to select the 774,000 Nigerians, register them, open bank accounts for them and obtain their BVNs. Hence the urgency to proceed with preparations.

    HOW MUCH IS THIS PROGRAMME WORTH?

    (24).​ The total sum of N52 billion has been appropriated for this programme. Out of this amount, the sum of N46.44 billion is for actual payment of the stipends of those to be engaged. They will paid through BVN, hence eliminating the possibility of fraud in the payment scheme. The balance of N5.56 billion is for the purchase of tools and light equipment, the transportation, storage and security of these equipment in all the 774 LGAs in the country. That is approximately the sum of N7.183 million per LGA for the three-month period. The procurement of these items can only done by the National Directorate of Employment, complying with strict procurement guidelines in the Public Procurement Act.

    WHAT SHOULD NIGERIANS EXPECT FROM THIS PROGRAMME?

    (25).​At the end of the programme, we would have selected and engaged 774,000 Nigerians in a transparent process, adequately supervised and monitored them and paid N60,000.00 each for services rendered. Nigerians should also expect an improvement in physical and environmental infrastructure nation- wide.

    CONCLUSION:

    (26) I hereby respectfully make these above submissions, whilst at the same time I am ready, willing and anxious to clarify any grey area in the work plan PUBLICLY when I appear before you. As this is not an investigative hearing, I assume that you would properly inform me if you
    want to do any of such and give me the full rights of fair hearing (including giving me the opportunity to confront any witness) as provided for in section 36 of the 1999 Constitution before reaching a decision that may affect my civil rights or obligations. It is only a full investigative hearing that can lead to your “exposing corruption, inefficiency or waste” in the execution of any government programme. An “Interactive Session” cannot lead to such since that is not within the contemplation of Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution.

    I thank you all.

    FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, FCIArb (UK)
    Honourable Minister of State.

  • NSITF insists Ngige, NASS approved funds for training, rehabilitation of offices

    NSITF insists Ngige, NASS approved funds for training, rehabilitation of offices

    The suspended management of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has said all training, contracts and rehabilitation carried out by the NSITF received the approvals of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and the National Assembly (NASS).

    The suspended management of the NSITF, which stated this in Abuja on Saturday, also denied the allegation of contract splitting made by the Minister of Labour and Employment.

    “There was no contract splitting as claimed by the Minister. The training referred to were budgeted for in the year 2017, 2018 and 2019 appropriations for over 5,000 staff nationwide, and Procurement Planning Committee Meetings were held for the procurement of goods, works and services to commence the procurement activities. All these details were included in the budget for these years, taken for budget defence in the supervising Ministry, officially endorsed by the Minister himself, approved and transmitted to the National Assembly for necessary approval during the budget defences for these years,” the suspended management stated.

    Recall that the allegation that the project of construction of 14 Zonal/Regional offices in 14 states running into billions of Naira was a policy that was done without Board or ministerial knowledge not to talk of approval, was also levelled by the Minister against the suspended management.

    The suspended management debunked the allegation, saying the projects were in the 2019 budget, again brought for the budget defence in the supervising Ministry, chaired by the Minister himself, approved accordingly, endorsed by him, the Permanent Secretary, MD and General Manager Finance before it was forwarded from the supervising ministry to the National Assembly for further necessary action and budget defence.

    To buttress the above claim, the suspended management said the Minister personally increased the constructions by adding Akwa and Asaba sites.

    It added: “It is therefore not true that such policy issues were being done without Board or Ministerial knowledge, not to talk of approval.”

    Responding to claims by the Minster that the projects were done in 2019 by the Managing Director and his three-man executive and that some of the projects are duplications and hence a waste of funds, the suspended management said such claim was false, saying the sites can be seen as approved in the budgets to confirm whether or not there were duplications as alleged.

    The management also debunked the claim by the Minister of Labour and Employment that construction of any new regional offices was executed. It explained that what was done was a renovation of abandoned NSITF offices to enable the Fund to move out from rented offices where such abandoned properties were located.

    “However, the only new office proposed for construction was in Awka at the direction and approval of the Minister himself. Consequently, we can see that the renovation works were approved in the Fund budget by the Minister and the National Assembly. For further clarification the management of the Fund advertised the projects in Federal Tender Journal and national dailies and that the bids were competed for, opened publicly, evaluated and awarded through transparent processes,” it stated.

    The suspended management also hinted that it has records of pictorial evidence of all the training programs done in the last three years and procurement of goods, works and services are all available in the Fund emphasizing that relevant approvals were gotten before the projects were executed.

    They explained that all the projects approved by Parastatals Tender Board Meetings (PTB) were within the approved threshold of the Fund for the procurement of goods, works and services.

    “Any other projects above the prescribed Threshold of the PTB were taken to the Ministerial Tender Board Meeting (MTB) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Office of the Minister,” it added.

    The suspended management alleged that suspending the top officials of the Fund even before a panel of inquiry is inaugurated could deny the officials the right frame of mind and official space to adequately respond to the allegations.

    They maintained that they are willing to defend all the allegations levelled against them before an independent panel of enquiry that should consist of relevant government agencies such as the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Service of the Federation, Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and not handpicked officers by the Minister.

    The suspended management said: “We hereby seek that due process be followed and the suspended staff should be allowed to return to their offices to prepare their defence to all allegations against them. There are already reports that some of the documents needed to defend the allegations are being carted away from the office. Consequently, it would be appreciated if the Minister would comply with the SGF Circular Ref No.: SGF/OP/I.S.3/T/163 dated 19th May 2020,”

    But the Minster through deputy director, Press, Charles Akpan, said the NSITF management and some top officials were suspended because they violated the disciplinary procedure approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Akpan insisted that the Minister of Labour and Employment acted in line with the Constitution, Public Service Rules and NSITF Act.

    He explained that the NSITF Act empowers the Minister to recommend fit and proper persons to Mr. President for an appointment for the post of chairman, Managing Director and three Executive Directors to manage the day to day affairs of the agency.

    Although the Minister did not disclose the panel that indicted the suspended officials and how prima facie was established against them, he insisted that the suspension of the management became imperative after a preliminary investigation on allegations of corruption and prima facie infractions on the extant financial regulations and procurement Act and other acts of gross misconduct were established.

    The Minister alleged that some of the infractions uncovered include N3.4 billion squandered on non-existent staff training split into about 196 different consultancy contracts in order to evade the Ministerial Tenders Board and Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval.

    He also mentioned non-existent and un-executed N2.3 billion was documented and paid while N1.1 billion is awaiting payment without any job done, all totalling N3.4 billion. The Minister also indicted board members, who he claimed, watched as funds were frittered away.

    He said: “Same goes for projects of construction of 14 Zonal/ Regional offices in 14 states running into billions of Naira – a policy issue being done without Board or Ministerial knowledge not to talk of Approval. This was done in 2019 by the MD and his three-man Executive. Some of the projects are duplications and hence waste of funds, yet you are in the Board supposedly supervising!”

    Ngige maintained that he operated within the law in suspending NSITF management.

    On its part, also, the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has denied the board wrote a petition against the management team of NSITF on financial impropriety, which was allegedly presented to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The NECA Director General, Timothy Olawale said: “NECA is not against the Minister as head of the supervising Ministry taking whatever actions he deemed right in his capacity but takes exception to misrepresentation and misleading information to the public. It would be interesting in the public interest to divulge the identities of the board members behind the said petition. Some stakeholders may be fooled by misinformation and misrepresentations, but NECA refuses to fall for illegality as we owe contributors to the Fund who are employers of labour represented by us and the citizenry the duty of due diligence and forthrightness”.

  • 774,000 jobs: NASS suspends recruitment exercise over row with Keyamo

    774,000 jobs: NASS suspends recruitment exercise over row with Keyamo

    The National Assembly on Wednesday announced the suspension of the Special Public Works programme under the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

    The programme which was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and handed over to Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo (SAN) for coordination was meant temporarily absorb 774, 000 vulnerable Nigerians affected by the novel coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic.

    By the arrangement, 1, 000 Nigerians who would earn N20,000 each on a monthly basis for three months are expected to be recruited in each of the 774 local government areas, of the country.

    The programme was expected to take off in October this year.

    But the nation’s parliament on Wednesday said the programme has been suspended following the disagreement between it and Keyamo on Tuesday.

    The spokesperson for the Senate, Ajibola Basiru, who announced the suspension of the programme at a press conference in Abuja, said the National Assembly has summoned the Minister in charge of the Ministry to appear before the federal legislature, to explain the recruitment modalities.

    He said, “In view of the foregoing, the implementation of the programme shall be on hold pending proper briefing of the National Assembly by the Minister of Labour and Productivity.”

    Recall that the federal lawmakers on Tuesday, walked Keyamo out of a hearing following his refusal to apologise after the legislators accused him of raising his voice against them.

    The incident happened at an investigative hearing organised by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity.

    Members of the joint panel had summoned the Minister and NDE Director-General, Nasiru Argungu, to brief them on steps so far taken to recruit 774,000 personnel across the country.

    Trouble started when lawmakers queried Keyamo for allegedly undertaking lopsided recruitment without the active involvement of the NDE, the agency that got N52bn approval from the National Assembly to implement the programme.

    The argument that ensued afterwards, led to a shouting match between both parties which later degenerated to the forceful exit of Keyamo from the meeting.

  • UNDEDSS to NASS: Stop using your oversight powers to milk Nigeria dry

    UNDEDSS to NASS: Stop using your oversight powers to milk Nigeria dry

    …says your incessantly illegally pad budgets is slowing down FG good programs
    …points face-off with Keyamo as one of such cases
    …insists NASS action is portraying Buhari as a toothless anti-corruption crusader
    The United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy UNDEDSS has advised the National Assembly to stop using its oversight powers to milk the commonwealth of Nigerians dry.
    The group called on all Concerned Nigerians to rise as one and demand that the National Assembly NASS Leadership ceases to prey on the good people of Nigeria by attempting always to use their oversight powers to enrich themselve; incessantly illegally pad budgets; and, slow down well-meaning programs and projects of the Federal Government and its MDAs.
    In a Statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Tony I Uranta TIU, UNDEDSS points to the ongoing brouhaha between the Labour Ministry and the NASS, currently threatening to stifle the well meaning orders of President Buhari to, via the Ministry of Labour, create socio-economic welfare nets reaching directly to the constitutionallly recognized 774,000 Local Government Areas of the country.
    The National Assembly NASS is throwing all kinds of spurious spanners in the way Mr. Buhari’s desire to be perceived as an empathetic leader via deflating the economy, no matter for how long, and the UNDEDSS equates this to how the same NASS leadership seem hellbent to scuttle the FGN’s extremely vital program designed to get Covid19 palliatives to the Niger Delta, via the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, in these tragic times.
    “We see a pattern in the way Keyamo, Akpabio etc are facing campaigns of calumny, which pattern has been in existence since the inception of the largely corrupt 4th Republic”, asserts Mr. Uranta, the NNSG Scribe, “whereby every Ministry, Department and Agency of the FGN has budgets held ransom, until the NASS leadership are allowed to both pad the budgets, and also share out the ‘juicy’ contracts amongst themselves and their proxies!”
    Uranta added that, “if this National Assembly is allowed to continue brow beating every body, in an obvious attempt to show up Buhari as a toothless anti-corruption chihuahua, the Niger Delta and others may soon resort to self-help, decide that it time to resort, once again, to mass action, and action by unknown hoodlums such as succeeded in stealing the Senate’s Mace in broad light. We want peace, justice and equity, therefore we may need to resort to unorthodox means”
    Enough is enough.