Buhari Names Abubakar Fikpo Acting DG For NDE

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the appointment of Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo as the acting Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment  (NDE) pending the appointment of a substantive DG.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu made this known in a statement titled “President Buhari approves nomination of Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo as the acting DG of the National Directorate of Employment.”

Shehu said Buhari has conveyed his approval to the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, who made the nomination. Fikpo will be in office pending the appointment of a substantive Director-General.

AllNews recalls that President Buhari sacked Mohammed Ladan Argungu as the DG of NDE in last month in the wake of the controversy that trailed the Federal Government’s planned 774,000 jobs.

He, therefore, directed Keyamo to nominate one of the most senior directors to assume office in an acting capacity.

“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.

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“Last month, the president relieved the former DG of the agency, Ladan Argungu, 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 statement read.

Until his latest appointment, Fikpo is the most senior Director in the NDE.

Meanwhile, the president 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.

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.