A former Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport in Ebonyi State, Dr. Paul Okorie, has called for a dialogue between the National Assembly and the Executives in resolving the proposed 774,000 public sector jobs’ recruitment issue immediately.
Okorie made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki.
Earlier this week, the National Assembly had announced the suspension of the implementation of the proposed 774,000 public sector jobs’ recruitment meant to cushion the effect of the coronavirus pandemic.
The suspension followed an alleged disagreement between the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Kyamo, and the National Assembly Joint Committee on Labour over the implementation modalities of the programme.
Reacting to the development, Okorie said: “There is a clear-cut separation of powers as provided by the constitution.
“The legislature is saddled with the responsibility of lawmaking and oversight of executive activities; the judiciary interprets laws while the executive arm implements, executes government programmes and policies.
“In the present instance, the National Assembly, through a budgetary provision, approved the proposed job programme; they will be over-reaching their powers by seeking to be part of the implementation process.
“It’s not the duty of the legislature to implement governmental programmes and the constitution is clear on that.
“Dialogue is the best way to manage any crisis and mitigate possible breakdown of law and order.
“The two arms should avoid muscle-flexing, come to a round table and seek an amicable solution to the problem.”
