"Politicians Blackmailing Me On 774,000 Jobs" – Festus Keyamo.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has said some politicians are blackmailing and pressurising him to enable them determine those to be allotted the 774,000 jobs President Muhammadu Buhari approved recently.
The 774,000 jobs are within a special public works programme (SPWP) targeted at recruiting 1,000 persons in each of the 774 local government areas to be implemented by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
The programme, which is targeted at creating jobs for unskilled persons in rural areas, will last three months (October to December).
The workers are expected to clear and protect public infrastructure in rural areas while they earn N20,000 each within the three months.
Keyamo, who spoke during the inauguration of the states’ selection committee of the project, stressed that majority of the jobs must be allotted to ordinary Nigerians who need them.
The minister said he would not sacrifice his reputation and principles by going beyond the 10 to 15 per cent allocated to political officers, adding that only President Buhari could make him do otherwise.
“In the past, it used to be that certain people entrusted with this kind of programmes handed them over entirely to political leaders.
“There has been an attempt at blackmailing in this particular programme too to make us also yield to political leaders. But we have said no, not while I am here.
“Except Mr. President, who appointed and gave me the opportunity and rare privilege to drive this programme stops me, no other political leader or person can stop me. I am answerable only to Mr. President. This programme is for all Nigerians,” he said.