Federal Government Announces Date Of Resumption For 774,000 SPW Workers

The Federal Government on Sunday said that the 774,000 Special Public Works (SPW) project will start on January 5, 2021.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, told The Nation on Sunday in Abuja.

A three-month N20,000 monthly job creation program has been delayed due to disagreements between the minister and former chairman of National Directorate of Employment, Nasir Ladan who was fired by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

The delay is not unrelated to the ongoing dispute between the minister and the former NDE director over who has more control over the project creation and implementation.

It was discovered that the ousted chairman, Ladan had collaborated with the National assembly to undermine the efforts of Keyamo who is the minister under whose ministry the scheme belongs.

Keyamo and Ladan failed to co-operate on the programme as the later disobeyed the minister’s orders but instead cosied with members of the National Assembly

The federal government has twice announced the kick-off date for the program meant to employ 774, 000 Nigerians in the 774 local government areas.

Despite the release of N26 billion as stated by Ladan and procurement of equipment, the programme has not commenced till date.

On Sunday, Keyamo told newsmen that the project will start in January 2021 and the official start will be announced on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting.

The minister said he hoped there would be no problems during the project since Ladan has been fired.

He said: “We have taken a firm decision to begin on January 5, 2021, but I am going to make an official announcement after FEC on Wednesday. We had a few hiccups in December but we have taken a decision to begin January 5 which is a Tuesday.

“The programme will run from January to March 2021 which is pure dry season. So, we are ready. All the obstacles have been removed.”