774,000 Jobs: Reps Minority Caucus Demands Review, Rejects 30 Slots For Each Members

Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, says the 30 job slots allotted to lawmakers from the Federal Government’s 774,000 public work scheme, was unfair and unacceptable to lawmakers and Nigerians.

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, stated this in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that the minority caucus has rejected the 30 slot out of the 1000 slots per local government for members who are the true representatives of the people.

The caucus demanded for more transparency and a review of the criteria being used for the allotment, which he alleged is skewed to favour certain interests in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the detriment and disadvantage of the majority of other Nigerians.

“The 30 persons allotment to be supervised by a member in each of the local government areas, cannot by any criteria, said to be a true representation of the people they are mandated to represent”, he added.

Elumelu (PDP, Delta), 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 are reached for social and economic empowerment.

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He maintained that in the prevailing scenarios the 30 person, out of the 1000 per local government, is grossly inadequate for lawmakers.

“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 is being used in the job allotments? Given the 30 persons out of the 1000 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 program benefited Nigerians and not enmeshed in allegations of sharp practices as witnessed in the COVID-19 palliative distribution?

The lawmakers therefore demanded for more transparency and consultation in the implementation of the 774,000 public works jobs. 

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The caucus charged President Muhamamdu Buhari to immediately order a review of the implementation process to ensure that the targeted citizens benefited from the program as intended.