Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN) engaged in a shouting match with lawmakers of the National Assembly over the planned recruitment of 774,000 Nigerians.
The Minister appeared before a Joint committee of the both floors of the National Assembly on Tuesday alongside the Director General for the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Nasiru Ladan.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed had announced that President Buhari had approved the recruitment of 774,000 people who are expected to be integrated in a special works programme to be overseen by the NDA.
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During the hearing before both committees, the DG of NDE was asked to explain the rationale behind having a 20 member committee for the implementation of the programme.
Mr. Ladan however told the committee members that he only knew 8 of the committee members and had no idea who the others were.
The lawmakers then turned to Festus Keyamo and accused him of taking over the programme from the NDE. This resulted in a shouting match between both parties.
The lawmakers attempted to control the Minister by asking for a closed door session but Keyamo refused.
“How can you expose corruption without the cameras? How can, how can you expose it? I must respond to what he said. You cannot say something and I won’t respond. It is wrong.” Keyamo shouted at the lawmakers.
He was thereafter walked out of the chambers by the Sergeant-at-arms.
Speaking to newsmen after the incident, Keyamo accused the lawmakers of attempting to take over the recruitment process from his Ministry.
He said he was being blackmailed by the lawmakers into giving them slots.