By Akinwale Kasali
Festus Keyamo, SAN, Minister of State, Labour, Employment and Productivity, says he will not apologise to a Committee of the National Assembly, over a face-off he had with them on Tuesday.
The face-off was over the process of recruiting 1000 persons each from the 774 Local Governments in the Country, ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.
When he appeared before them, members had wanted to know the modalities employed, after they had accused him of carrying on alone, without the DG of the NDE, Nasir Ladan Argungu, and the NASS. The FG had budgeted the sum of N52bn for the recruitment.
When the Minister wanted to answer the question, they asked that the Press be excused.
That did not go down well with Keyamo who felt it was unfair to accuse him before the Press, and ask him to speak behind closed doors.
Following is how the altercation, which ended in his being worked out by the Committee, led by Senator Godiya Akwashiki went:
National Assembly: How come that a Federal Government programme expected to gulp N52billion is being shrouded in secrecy?
Hon. Minister Keyamo: It is not shrouded in secrecy. Representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), youth groups and market women are all on the selection Committee.
National Assembly: We won’t accept this from you. You should have privately submitted the program to us for vetting before taking certain steps. That would have enabled us have an input on how the programme should be implemented.
Hon. Minister Keyamo: Your powers under the constitution do not extend to that. You cannot control the program as to who gets what. That’s the function of the executive arm of govt. Anything to the contrary will be tantamount to challenging the executive powers of Mr. President.
National Assembly: You’re always speaking big grammar. Let’s go a closed door session and conclude the meeting.
Hon. Minister Keyamo: No, sorry! I’m not ready to do anything in secret. You’ve already publicly questioned my actions. Let me also defend myself publicly.
National Assembly: You are disrespecting the authority of the National Assembly. Are you to tell us how to conduct the business of the National Assembly? We insist you come with us for a closed door session.
Hon. Minister Keyamo: I’m sorry I won’t go to any closed-door meeting with you. You have already raised some fundamental issues before the media. The media also needs to know how it is addressed. We are in a democracy.
National Assembly: Then you can leave our premises, if you are not ready to discuss in secret with us.
Hon. Minister Keyamo: Why are you asking me to leave? If we are truly fighting corruption, then all our actions should be open to public scrutiny.
National Assembly: What do you know about corruption? Are you to teach us about the war against corruption? Look, if you are not ready to go into a closed-door meeting with us, you can as well pack your things and leave.
Hon. Minister Keyamo: Yes, I’ll rather uphold the provisions of the constitution and leave your premises, than have a secret collusion with you. Goodbye
National Assembly: Really? You think you’re smart, right? Okay, we shall see! We shall report to the President.”
Keyamo accused them of wanting to hijack the process by trying to control him.
He said the National Assembly cannot stop the planned recruitment of Nigerians.
In a statement released by the Minister on Tuesday, Keyamo said in obedience to their invitation, he appeared before the Joint Committees on Labour of both the Senate and the House.
The meeting was for briefing on the implementation of the Special Public Works Programme.
The minister said there was a misunderstanding when they questioned why he did not privately submit the program to them for vetting before taking certain steps.
Keyamo said the lawmakers suggested that they ought to have made an input on how the programme should be implemented.
“I was then asked to apologize for insisting on a public interaction and I said there was nothing to apologize about, because their powers to expose corruption provided for in section 88 of the Constitution cannot be exercised in private. As such, there was no need to apologize by insisting on a Constitutional provision.
“Even their Rules that may provide for private hearings on public matters cannot override the provisions of the Constitution. I was then permitted to leave. I took a bow and left. I never walked out on the respected Committees as they may want to bend the narrative.
“After I left, I understand that the Joint Committees purportedly suspended the work of the Selection Committees nationwide until they decide how the programme should be run and who should be in those Committees. My opinion is that it is tantamount to challenging the powers of Mr. President.”
Keyamo said National Assembly powers under section 88 of the 1999 Constitution are only limited to investigations, but not give any directive to the executive.
He noted that a committee or committees of both Houses do not even have powers to pass binding Resolutions and that they can only make recommendations to Plenary.
“All my life, I have fought for good governance and constitutional democracy. I will not come into government and be intimidated to abandon those principles. I will rather leave this assignment, if Mr. President so directs than compromise the jobs meant for ordinary Nigerians who have no Godfathers or who are not affiliated to any political party.”
The minister directed all the committees set up nationwide made up of CAN, NSCIA, NURTW, Market Women, CSOS, Youth Organisations, respected traditional rulers, etc to proceed with their work unhindered.
“Only Mr. President can stop their work”, he declared.
