The House of Representatives has requested the government to halt the take-off of the 774, 000 special works programme scheduled to commence in January 2021.
The House also asked the Ministry of Finance not to release funds meant for the programme until some issues are sorted out.
Adopting a motion of urgent Public Importance sponsored by Olajide Olatubonsun, a member from Oyo State, the House also condemned the sacking of the Director General of the National Directorate of Employment and advised for his reinstatement immediately.
Contributing to the debate, Luke Onofiok from Akwa Ibom State described the decision of the government to sack the Director General who stood for the programme to succeed, as ill advised.
According to him “The DG stood for what is right and the decision to sack him was ill-advised, adding that since the programme was initially supposed to take place in 2020, the money meant for it was provided for in the 2020 budget.
Since it has been shifted to 2021, there was the need to suspend its implementation until there is provision made for it in the 2021 budget” he said.
Mr. Onofiok said there was the need to suspend the programme because there are salient issues which bother on the integrity of the legislature and the need to build institutions.
Emmanuel Ukoh
