The House of Representatives has ordered the federal government to halt the recruitment of 774,000 workers for its controversial Special Works Scheme.

The National Assembly and the Federal Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity had clashed over the recruitment of 774,000 workers for the scheme.

At the plenary on Wednesday, the House asked the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning not to fund the scheme, which is billed to take off in January 2021.

The National Assembly had appropriated N52bn for the exercise in the 2020 Appropriation Act. It was to begin in November.

The House also faulted the removal of the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment, Dr Nasiru Argungu, who had backed the parliament in the controversy.

The House urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to reverse himself on Argungu’s sacking.

The Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, had since appointed Argungu’s replacement in the order of the President.