The Presidency on Monday announced that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Abubakar Fikpo as the acting Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment pending the appointment of a substantive DG.
The presidential approval was contrary to the position of the Senate which on December 10, 2020, urged Buhari to rescind the presidential directive sacking Dr. Nasiru Argungu , as the NDE DG.
In sacking Argungu last year in the wake of the controversy that trailed the Federal Government ’ s planned 774, 000 jobs, Buhari had directed the Minister of State , Labour and Employment , Festus Keyamo , who supervises the agency to nominate an acting DG for the agency.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity , Garba Shehu , in a statement on Monday said Buhari had approved the nomination made by Keyamo .
The statement was titled “ President Buhari approves nomination of Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo as the acting DG of the National Directorate of Employment . ”
It read , “ President Muhammadu Buhari has formally conveyed to the Hon. Minister of State , Labour and Employment , Festus Keyamo , SAN, his approval of the nomination of Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo as the Acting Director- General of the National Directorate of Employment pending the appointment of a substantive Director- General for the Agency
“ Last month, the President relieved the former DG of the agency of his appointment , and directed the Minister to nominate an Acting DG to superintend over the Agency pending the appointment of a substantive DG. ”
The resolution of the Senate asking Buhari to reinstate Argungu followed a point of order raised on the floor by the Senator representing Jigawa East Senatorial District , Ibrahim Hadejia .
The Senate also urged Buhari to probe the frosty relationship between Argungu and Keyamo .
The red chamber argued that the removal of Argungu could delay the take- off of the Federal Government programme aimed at providing jobs for 774, 000 Nigerians .
The upper chamber also urged Buhari to order an investigation into the cause of the frosty relationship between Argungu and Keyamo .
