Dr Paul Okorie, former Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport in Ebonyi, has called for dialogue between the National Assembly and Executive to resolve the proposed public sector jobs’ recruitment issue.
Okorie also a former Commissioner for Environment made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki.
NAN reports that the National Assembly on Monday announced the suspension of implementation of the proposed 774,000 public sector jobs’ recruitment aimed at cushioning the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The suspension followed alleged disagreement between Mr Festus Kyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment and National Assembly Joint Committee on Labour over the implementation modalities of the programme.
According to the ex-commissioner, the 774, 000 proposed jobs will lift many Nigerian youths out of poverty and equip them with skills to become self-employed.
He said that the programme was introduced by the Federal Government to alleviate economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He noted that dialogue remained the most effective mechanism in resolving any dispute among the three arms of government in a democracy.
Okorie explained that it was the constitutional responsibility of the executive to execute laws made by the legislature, implement programmes and policies of government for the smooth governance of the country.
“There is a clear-cut separation of powers as provided by the constitution.
“The legislature is saddled with the responsibility of law making and oversight of executive activities; the judiciary interprets laws while the executive arm implements, execute 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 is not the duty of legislature to implement governmental programmes and the constitution is clear on that,” the ex- commissioner said.
He, however, said that since there was already friction and altercation between the two arms, the best way to resolve it was through dialogue.
“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 amicable solution to the problem,” Okorie said. (NAN)
