FG may extend 774,000 public works jobs
PHOTO: Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo
NEWSMAN, Abuja – Minister
of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, says the Federal Government
may extend the Special Public Works (SPW) programme, which will create 774,000
jobs for Nigerians.
He said alternatively, the government may make the job scheme an annual event
while retaining the original plan of conceding only 15 per cent of the job
slots to governors, National Assembly members, ministers and other interest
groups.
“I am confident that
the SPW will succeed 100 per cent. We limited the scope to three months for the
774,000 workers because it is an expensive programme and we are facing drop in
revenue. There are so many exit strategies that the government is considering.
Apart from that, the government may extend the programme or make it an annual
event”, Keyamo said.
He faulted claims by the Director-General of the National Directorate of
Employment, Dr. Nasir Mohammed Ladan, that the job sharing formula will
accommodate more concessions, The Nation
reported.
“The report on the sharing formula must have been a misapprehension of the
instructions I gave to them to implement”
He added, “I did not give any instruction on 40 per cent rise for them to
implement. We are sticking to the original formula of 15 per cent concession to
political office holders. There may be a few adjustments here and there
depending on local circumstances.”
The Minister insisted that the October 1 take-off date for the project is realistic
saying “We are working very hard to make the date realistic.”
