NATIONAL: Buhari sacks NDE, DG Argungu

PRESIDENT Buhari has sacked the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment, Dr Nasiru Argungu.

Following this development, the president has  directed the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, to nominate an acting DG among the directors in the agency based on competence and seniority.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday titled. ‘President Buhari relieves Dr. Nasiru Mohammed Ladan Argungu as the DG of the National Directorate of Employment.’

Shehu did not give any reason for Argungu’s sacking.

The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari has relieved Dr Nasiru Mohammed Ladan Argungu from the position of the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment.

“The directive which was given on Friday, December 4, 2020, is to be effective from Monday, December 7, 2020.

“Meanwhile, the Supervising Minister of the Agency, the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, has been directed to nominate an acting DG from amongst the most senior directors based on competencies and seniority to take over from Dr. Argungu until a substantive holder of the post is appointed by Mr. President.”

The development came at a time the 774,000 jobs being planned by the Federal Government has yet to take off.

The proposed 774,000 jobs scheme has caused a face-off between the members of the National Assembly and the Minister of State, Keyamo.

The minister insisted he was asked to be in charge of the jobs by the president while members of NASS countered that it is one of their duties to see to the “distribution” of the slots for the jobs.

The National Assembly eventually asked the NDE to take charge.