[VIDEO] 774,000 Jobs: Keyamo Tackles Lawmakers, ‘You Can’t Expose Corruption At A Secret Hearing’

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday, tackled federal lawmakers at an investigative hearing on the employment of 774,000 Nigerians organized by the National Assembly joint committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity.

THE WHISTLER reported earlier that Keyamo had raised an alarm that some politicians were trying to hijack the federal government’s social public works recruitment process.

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The minister made the claim hours before appearing before the NASS committee’s public hearing on Tuesday.

At the hearing headed by the committee’s chairman, Godiya Akwashiki, the lawmakers said they wanted to make sure Keyamo was doing the right thing.

The committee had summoned Keyamo and the Director General of the National Directorate of Employment, Nasiru Ladan, to defend the N52 billion budgeted for the programme.

“Honorable minister, we want to ensure your efficiency…we want to make sure you are doing the right thing. While we are doing that, we have the constitutional responsibility also to expose corruption,” said Akwashiki.

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The committee had opted for a closed-door hearing, but the minister vehemently rejected it, saying, “How can you expose corruption without the cameras”.

The panel had accused Keyamo of raising his voice on the lawmakers and asked him to apologize, but the minister refused.

The committee subsequently walked the minister out of the hearing.

Earlier, Keyamo had said: “There have been attempts at blackmailing me in this particular programme too to make us also yield to political leaders and we have said no – not while I am here.

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“I have a pedigree; I have a background; I know where I am coming from. Before I came into public office, I have a pedigree and what I stand for.

“Except Mr President, who appointed me stops me, and who gave me the opportunity and rare privilege to drive this programme, except he stops me, no other political leader or person can stop me. I am answerable only to Mr President.”

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