Asks Keyamo to publish asset declaration forms
Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, has called on the National Assembly to publish the report of its investigation on the N52 billion Special Works Programme implemented by Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo.
Shaibu said this in a statement, while reacting to report that Keyamo had allegedly acquired a house in the United States at the cost of over $300,000.
He recalled that in 2021, the Federal Government had, in a bid to ameliorate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, approved N52 billion for hiring 774,000 Nigerians across all local councils in the country for three months.
The 774,000 were hired to take on menial jobs, such as clearing of drainages, sweeping of markets, grass cutting and other community services.
Shaibu alleged that Keyamo orchestrated sacking of the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Nasiru Argungu, insisting he was in charge of the project, which the National Assembly said was a flop.
Reacting to Keyamo’s claim that he owns several houses in the U.S., Shaibu said: “The National Assembly had described the special works programme as a sham and also questioned how the funds were spent. Keyamo had, for the last two years, defended the shambolic implementation of the programme.”
Shaibu further alleged: “With Keyamo’s open confession that he has acquired houses in the U.S., I, hereby, call on the National Assembly to publish its report on the failed project. I also call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately probe the finances of Festus Keyamo, who only became a senior advocate two years before becoming a minister.”
“It is public record that Keyamo was an activist and a prosecutor for the EFCC, doing mostly pro bono cases before taking public office. However, he now boasts of being a real estate mogul after becoming a minister. This is laughable and an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.”
Shaibu argued: “Keyamo’s time as Minister of State for Labour and Employment witnessed the highest level of unemployment, which KPMG says is about to hit 40 per cent. Under Keyamo, universities also witnessed prolonged strikes, as the Academic Staff Union of Universities proceeded on a 10-month strike in 2020 and eight-month industrial action in 2021. Keyamo clearly failed as a minister but grew wealthier in the process through his so-called real estate business. He thus needs to be investigated with immediate effect.”
Shaibu dared Keyamo to publish his asset declaration form as submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau in 2019.
He said since Keyamo had boasted many times about being an EFCC prosecutor and an anti-corruption champion, he ought to be bold enough to make his asset declaration forms public, to prove he was saying the truth.
