FG, Reps on collision course over 774, 000 jobs scheme
By Henry Omunu
House of Representatives’ minority caucus has rejected the 30 slots allotted to each member of the lower legislative chamber under the Federal Government’s 774,000
public jobs scheme.
House Minority Leader, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu, in a statement on Tuesday, described the allotment of 30 out of the 1, 000 slots per local government as grossly unfair and unacceptable to Nigerians and lawmakers, who are the true representatives of the people.
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The caucus demanded more transparency and a review of the criteria being used for the allotment, which it alleged favours certain interests in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to the detriment of a majority of Nigerians Daily Times gathered.
The House minority leader, who represents Aniocha North/Aniocha South and Oshimili North and South Federal Constituency of Delta State, insisted that the 30-person allotment cannot, by any criteria, be said to be a true representation
of the people they are mandated to represent.
Elumelu stressed that the 774,000 jobs are meant for the people and that the people look up to the lawmakers as major channels through which they can be reached for social and economic empowerment, thereby making the 30 persons figure grossly
inadequate.
“The 30-person allotment per local government for lawmakers is grossly unfair, inadequate and unacceptable to Nigerians. As the representatives of the people, we
are closer to them and they directly interact with us, irrespective of religion, class and political affiliations.
“All Nigerians living in our constituencies are our constituents, irrespective of political leanings.
We have a responsibility to protect their interests at all times. As such
lawmakers ought to have been carried along on the allotment.
“Moreover, the questions are what criteria are being used in the job allotments?
Given the 30 persons out of the 1,000 per local government area allotted to federal lawmakers, what happens to the remaining 970?
“What answers do we give Nigerians? How do we ensure that the programme benefits Nigerians and is not enmeshed in allegations of sharp practices as witnessed in the COVID-19 palliative distribution?”
The lawmakers therefore, demanded more transparency and consultation in the implementation of the 774,000 public works jobs.
The caucus charged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately order a review of the implementation process to ensure that the targeted citizens benefited from the programme as intended.
