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Tag: NSITF

  • Reps place NSITF on special probe

    Reps place NSITF on special probe

    The House of Representatives Committee on Finance has placed the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF ) on special probe scrutinising its documents from 2018 till date.

    Rep. James Faleke, the chairman of the committee said this the ongoing probe of revenue leakages in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Faleke said that the committee snoticed discrepancies in the submissions by NSITF and resolved to place it on status enquiry.

    “In view of the various submissions available to us as a committee and the discrepancy noticeable in all of your submissions I hereby move that a status enquiry be set to know the workings of your agency.

    “The status inquiry is from 2018 to date, which means NSITF should get a comprehensive analysis of all its records.

    “We are coming and can request for any documents anytime and we would not be giving you notice. Reconcile all your records,” he said

    The Managing Director of NSITF, Mrs Maureen Allagoa, who appeared before the committee, delegated the responsibility to make their submission to the Director, Finance and Administration, Mr Adedeji Adegoke.

  • FG inaugurates committee to resolve petitions against NSITF

    FG inaugurates committee to resolve petitions against NSITF

    The Federal Government has inaugurated a fact-finding committee to probe various complaints and petitions against the management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

    Mr Simon Lalong, Minister of Labour and Employment, communicated this while inaugurating the five-man committee on Thursday in Abuja.

    The Minister had during a recent familiarisation visit to the fund, said that there were a lot of complaints and petitions against the management of the Fund.

    He said that the government recognised the important role played by the NSITF in the social security of workers in the country.

    The minister had said that he would  address all the challenges that militated against the optimal performance of the organisation.

    Lalong said the terms of reference for the committee included the investigation of alleged irregularities in the award of contracts worth about 1.8 billion naira.

    He said that others were the self-payment of gratuities to the leadership of the fund while still in office; none release of promotions, and irregular employments.

    The minister urged the members of the committee to carry out the assignment dispassionately and fairly.

    He also urged them to as well resist any attempt to intimidate, harassment or influence them.

    Also, Mr Isaac Okehie, Chairman of the committee and also the Director, Finance and Account of the ministry, commended the minister for the opportunity.

    Okehie promised that members of the committee would do their best to deliver on the assignment.

    The committee, which membership is composed of directors from the ministry, was given two weeks to submit its report.

  • ASSBIFI, NSITF unit petition HoS over gross violation of Public Service Rules, demotion of staff among others

    ASSBIFI, NSITF unit petition HoS over gross violation of Public Service Rules, demotion of staff among others

    …says over 5,000 staff were demoted

    The Association of Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, NSITF domestic unit has petitioned the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation over gross violation of Public Service Rules, demotion of staff, unremitted pension and housing fund by its management.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports this was contained in a petition signed by officers of both ASSBIFI, NUBIFIE, President, Bala Tijani, General Secretary, Abdullahi Isa, Chairman, Opeoluwa Ogunfowote and Secretary , Wenzamma Simon.

    In the petition the unions stated that: “Over 5,000 staff of the Fund were demoted to their previous Grade Levels in an exercise expected
    to “adjust the structure” of the Fund but rather recruited staff mostly at Management levels in a
    process that fell short of all standards as provided in Section 4.5 (j)(i) &(il) of the Staff Condition of
    Service and amplified in the Public Service Rules.

    “Demoting staff by over three years of service without legitimate grounds is a clear breach of these
    rules and undermines the principles of fairness, equality, and meritocracy that are essential to the
    public service.

    “Also going against the advice of National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission’s
    advice to rectify anomalies found in Grade Level 17a and 17b operating in the Fund contravening
    the Grades in Civil Service.

    “Furthermore, we wish to draw your attention that our Management has failed to remit the pension
    contributions deducted from our salaries for over 2 years.

    ” This act not only violates the provisions of the Pension Reform Act [Sec 11(5-7)], but it also jeopardizes the financial security and future well-
    being of employees. The gravity of this offence atiracts a penalty and we seek its application as
    Section 11 (6) of the Pension Reforms Act 2004 states that “any employer who fails to remit the contributions within the time prescribed shall, in addition to making the remittance
    already due, be liable to a penalty to be stipulated by the commission.

    To this end the following demands were made:”STAFF DEMOTION: Conduct a thorough investigation into the demotion of staff members with three years of service, reverse this legality, ensure compliance with the provisions of the Public Service Rules and penalize those responsible for tis violation.

    UNREMITTED PENSION:
    “Enforce the remittance of all outstanding pension contributions that have been deducted
    from the salaries of the affected Employees.

    “Support the Pension Commission to impose appropriate sanctions on the Management of
    Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund for their failure to comply with the provisions of the
    Pubs Service Rules and the Pension Reform Act, NHF DEDUCTIONS: Ensure that, all unremitted deductions for this purpose spanning over 10
    years are made to the respective accounts of staff so they can assess the numerous housing packages offered to contributors.

    RECRUITMENTS: Revisit the recent recruitments made, review the shortfalls and correct the
    violations because most staff have been issued letters demanding that they stay on same rank for 6 years before qualifying for promotion exams.

    PARTIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF REVIEW SALARY: Executive Management of the Fund had implemented their revised salaries in full leaving staff with partial implementation. Staff are the
    foot soldiers that generate these monies and therefore, see a commensurate review too.

    . Implement measures to prevent such violations from occuring in the future and promote a fair and conducive work environment for all public servants.

    “Please note that the Union has exhausted all Industrial Relations tools in a diplomatic manner but to
    no avail. We trust that you will address these issues with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.

    “Its imperative that justice is served, and the rights of the affected Employees are protected. We have full confidence in the commitment of the Head of Civil Service to upholding the principles of
    fairess, transparency, and accountability in the public service.

    Read full petition below:

    ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR STAFF OF BANKS,
    INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
    (NSITF DOMESTIC UNIT)

    NIGERIA Plot 794, Muhammadu Buhari Way, Central Business District, Abuja

    20% June, 2013
    The Head of Civil Service of the Federation
    Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase Il,
    Shehu Shagari Way,

    Three Arms Zone, Abuja.

    Sir, 3
    PETITION TO INVESTIGATE THE GROSS VIOLATION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE RULES,
    DEMOTION OF STAFF, UNREMMITTED PENSION AND NATIONAL HOUSING FUND
    DEDUCTIONS FROM STAFF OF NIGERIA SOCIAL INSURANCE TRUST FUND (NSITF)

    We write to bring to your attention a serious violation of the Public Service Rules of Nigeria committed
    by Management of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund. This violation pertains to the unjust demotion
    of staff members with three years of service ~ a sharp contrast to the Public Service Rules, as well
    as the failure to remit the deducted Pension and NHF contributions of Employees.

    Over 5,000 staff of the Fund were demoted to their previous Grade Levels in an exercise expected
    to “adjust the structure” of the Fund but rather recruited staff mostly at Management levels in a
    process that fell short of all standards as provided in Section 4.5 (j)(i) &(il) of the Staff Condition of
    Service and amplified in the Public Service Rules.

    Demoting staff by over three years of service without legitimate grounds is a clear breach of these
    rules and undermines the principles of faimess, equality, and meritocracy that are essential to the
    public service. Also going against the advice of National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission’s
    advice to rectify anomalies found in Grade Level 17a and 17b operating in the Fund contravening
    the Grades in Civil Service. See attached (Appendix I).

    Furthermore, we wish to draw your attention that our Management hes failed to remit the pension
    contributions deducted from our salaries for over 2 years. This act not only violates the provisions of
    the Pension Reform Act [Sec 11(5-7)], but it also jeopardizes the financial security and future well-
    being of employees. The gravity of this offence atiracts a penalty and we seek its application as
    Section 11 (6) of the Pension Reforms Act 2004 states that “any employer who fails to remit
    the contributions within the time prescribed shall, in addition to making the remittance
    already due, be liable to a penalty to be stipulated by the commission. See attached (Appendix
    1h.

    We believe that such actions are detrimental to the morale, motivation, and overall performance of
    the Employees, and they reflect a disregard for the welfare and rights of public servants.

    NSITF if properly managed, has the potential to bridge the gap between government at the center
    and indigent Nigerians in ungovened spaces thereby driving down government impact to the nooks
    and crannies of the country. It should be the safety net for injured Employees, Senior citizens, the
    unemployed and even under-employed going by the Social Security provisions of the International
    Labour Organization (ILO).

    We, therefore, request that you direct the relevant authorities to investigate these issues and take
    appropriate actions to salvage the situation. On:

    . STAFF DEMOTION: Conduct a thorough investigation into the demotion of staff members with
    three years of service, reverse this legality, ensure compliance with the provisions of the Public
    Service Rules and penalize those responsible for tis violation.
    UNREMITTED PENSION
    Enforce the remittance of all outstanding pension contributions that have been deducted
    from the salaries of the affected Employees.
    Support the Pension Commission to impose appropriate sanctions on the Management of
    Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund for their failure to comply with the provisions of the
    Pubs Service Rules and the Pension Reform Act,
    NHF DEDUCTIONS: Ensure that, all unremitted deductions for this purpose spanning over 10
    years are made to the respective accounts of staff so they can assess the numerous housing
    packages offered to contributors
    RECRUITMENTS: Revisit the recent recruitments made, review the shortfalls and correct the
    violations because most staff have been issued letters demanding that they stay on same rank
    for 6 years before qualifying for promotion exams.
    PARTIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF REVIEW SALARY: Executive Management of the Fund had
    implemented their revised salaries in full leaving staff with partial implementation. Staff are the
    foot soldiers that generate these monies and therefore, see a commensurate review too.
    . Implement measures to prevent such violations from occuring in the future and promote a fair
    and conducive work environment for all public servants.

    Please note that the Union has exhausted all Industrial Relations tools in a diplomatic manner but to
    no avail. We trust that you will address these issues with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.
    Its imperative that justice is served, and the rights of the affected Employees are protected. We
    have full confidence in the commitment of the Head of Civil Service to upholding the principles of
    fairess, transparency, and accountability in the public service.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to a prompt resolution and your decisive
    action in ensuring that justice is served.

  • Labour Minister called to question over price tag on e-NSITF

    Labour Minister called to question over price tag on e-NSITF

    Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has been called to question over the “bloated” price tag on the electronic Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (e-NSITF).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Federal Government (FG) had approved phase two of the e-NSITF, concessionaire to upgrade the infrastructure for N15 billion.

    A coalition of over 25 civil society groups called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor the handling of the platform by the Minister.

    The coalition under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society for Public Service Accountability & Good Governance (CCSPSAG) in Abuja said: “The price tag on e-NSITF is bloated and it is a company fronting for Ngige that is handling the project.

    “All is to defraud the organization before he leaves office and also to continue to settle himself even after he has left the government”.

    The Convener of the coalition, Comrade Danjuma Caleb Ure, who signed the statement, said: “The Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige has taken his corruption and impunity to an unimaginable level of ignorance.

    “How can a sitting Minister be handling a concessionaire of infrastructure for a parastatal whose major contribution is from a private organization that is meant for employees’ compensation in case of injury and death”.

    According to him: “NECA [Nigeria Employers Consultative Association] was not carried along in this inglorious journey of Ngige led Management.

    “The EFCC and ICPC are put on notice that at the last NSITF Management Board meeting, e-NSITF was not approved. The Minister using his position took it under the cover of amendments of Labour law for approval.

    “The Labour law he decided to bring up at the twilight stage of this administration is laughable. The so-called Minister that refused his handpicked Management Executives to pay 2 months staff salary is now fighting for 15 billion his own retirement package under the cover of e-NSITF.

    “Ngige is bent on paying the contractor handling e-NSITF. With this Minister of Labour, Nigerians have never had it so bad like this. All the organisations under his watch are complaining bitterly. Ngige why?

    “What legacy are you leaving behind? NSITF is not Ngige’s private business, he should know this. The contractors, Ed Admin, Ed Finance, GM Finance and Board Secretary should stop sabotaging payment of staff salary.

    “e-NSITF is an electronic platform meant to be used in the handling of the services of NSITF that Ngige has succeeded in pushing through Federal Executive Council,” the CCSPSAG convener stated.

  • Just In: Minister of Labor, allegedly deploys security men against protesting staff of NSITF

    Just In: Minister of Labor, allegedly deploys security men against protesting staff of NSITF

    The Minister of Labour, Employment & Productivity, Sen. Chris Ngige has allegedly deployed thugs to stop the protesting Staff of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund at the Office Headquarters in Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls that the staff have been protesting against Salary Adjustment Delay which was approved to commence by January this year being 2023

    The protest started last Thursday when the workers shut down the offices of the agency across the 36 states of the federation and its head office in Abuja.

    Workers of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) on Thursday shut down its head office in Abuja over a delay in the implementation of their salary adjustment

    The aggrieved workers under the aegis of Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (NUBIFI), stormed the NSITF office at the early hours of Thursday with loudspeakers, chanting and singing solidarity songs.

    The protesters displayed placards carrying different inscriptions such as “Ngige again! Why you Always” “ Even Pensions are not remitted after deduction,” “Say no to old Salary regime,” ” Ngige don’t kill NSITF,” and many more.

    It was gathered that ASSBIFI, an affiliate of the trade union congress (TUC) and NUBIFI, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), have had several meetings with the NSITF management and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, but the meetings have failed to lead to the resolution of the dispute.

    The protesting workers said that the NSITF management had agreed to begin the implementation of the new salary adjustment and review in January 2023, but kept shifting the date.

    The protesters who came from the agency’s different branches promised not to leave the environment until the needful was done, noting that it was now or never.

    Some of the protesters complained that they were demoted because of the implementation of the new salary, yet they refused to implement it.

    “I was demoted from level 13 to level 12 because of the so-called implementation and yet nothing is happening,” one of them said.

    Bala Tijani, the National Vice President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) said that the workers were being humiliated.

    “We are being humiliated; humiliation in terms of when you have an institution that has its last salary review about 10 years ago, 2013. Staff members in the name of this reviewed salary have been demoted. They refused to implement it after they have demoted people, it’s painful,” he said.

    Rather than having a decent Response and approach to dowse the situation, the Hon minister resorted to highering Thugs who are currently occupying the Promises of the Headquarters, ready to assault any protesting Staff on sight.

  • [TRENDING VIDEO] NSITF staff protesting in Abuja over alleged mismanagement, plan to recruit unqualified personnel

    [TRENDING VIDEO] NSITF staff protesting in Abuja over alleged mismanagement, plan to recruit unqualified personnel

    A video clip has surfaced online showing staff of NSITF protesting over alleged gross mismanagement and plan by management to recruit unqualified personnel to fill phantom positions.

    In the clip the protesters could be seen close to the headquarters of the government agency being supervised by the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the staff in a pamphlet they made available to journalists in Abuja highlighted their grievances.

    Read text below:

    Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund is the Premier social security institution in Nigeria with over 5,000 workforce. This government agency has the responsibility of providing social insurance and safety net for all Nigerian workers in public and private sectors of the economy. The Social Insurance is funded by Employers of labor’s contributions but ought to be managed by the tripod of Government, Employers, and Employees. However, under the Nigeria Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, successive Managers of the Fund have mismanaged the organisation with impunity by investing the funds into non-profitable ventures and white elephant projects. Over 60 Billion naira has been invested in the digitization of the organisation’s operations in the last 8years with next to nothing to show for it.

    This wastages have negatively affected the core mandate of the organisation which is payment of compensations to injured/disabled/dead employees. It has also impacted negatively on the welfare of the agency’s workforce. An organisation that prides herself as being committed to employees’ welfare has shown great incompetence in management of her own 5,000 workforce who are grossly under-remunerated and demoralised by lack of career progression, as witnessed recently by the tactical demotion of over 4,000 staff. This unfriendly attitude of the Management towards her workforce has also affected the efficiency of staff in the implementation of the Employees’ Compensation act.

    The continuous fraudulent contracts and projects being embarked on the the current management under the direct supervision of the Minister of labour and Employment must be promptly stopped, particularly the E- NSITF PROJECT which is nothing but a conduit pipe to cart away Employers’ Contributions to the tune of 15 Billion Naira. There’s urgent need for the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to act swiftly and stop this fraud. Attention of Mr Bawa, EFCC chairman has been called to this fraudulent transaction earlier and nothing concrete has been seen to be done.

    Also, the Management acting in accordance with the directives of the Minister is embarking on a last minute recruitment of unqualified individuals at top Management cadre to manage the affairs of the Fund. The Fund has been flooded with many staff many of whom parade fake certificates and were given top positions. What more could best describe nepotism? The Independent Corrupt practices and Other related offences Commission (ICPC) has not done enough to torch-light the activities of the organisation.

    An immediate action needs to be taken by relevant stakeholders such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation, the Nigeria Employers consultative Association (NECA), EFCC, and ICPC in order to prevent the eventual collapse of the organisation and to protect the general interest of nigerian workers who draw various compensations and benefits from this organisation.

    The Minister of Labour and Employer is at the verge of setting up a conduit pipe which is expected to continue to service him even after he leaves of on or before May 29th, from the pool of Employers’ funds.

    THE E-NSITF FRAUD MUST BE STOPPED NOW!!!

    Watch video:

     

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  • EXPOSED! Massive rot in NSITF, staff stagnation, pension diversion, workers send protest letter to Mgt

    EXPOSED! Massive rot in NSITF, staff stagnation, pension diversion, workers send protest letter to Mgt

     

    … complain of excessive tax deductions

    Staff of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) have exposed fraudulent and unwholesome practices under the watch of Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige .

    The workers in a protest meeting which was organized by the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions accused the management of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund of exploitative tax deductions and frustrating the upward review of workers salary.

    In a protest letter made available to journalists , the NSITF employees feel stifled and unable to progress at a job for long.

    They are also lamenting 18 months of non-remittance of pensions to their Retirement Savings Account.

    The President of the worker’s association, Balla Tijani, made the allegations during their congress meeting held in Abuja.

    The meeting was held by the NSITF Domestic Unit to address three key issues of inexplicable tax deductions; salary review and balance of consequential adjustments.

    Recall similar protest in August this year, a staff who speaks on condition of anonymity alleged that there were plots by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, in collaboration with the management of the fund to shortchange them.

    One of the members of staff, who described the development as “dubious and fraudulent tax deductions”, said that over 5,000 staff would be ripped off billions of naira.

    He said the management led by the Managing Director (MD), Dr Michael Akabogu, had concluded plans to deduct between N200,000 and N500,000 from each staff; depending on their level.

    He further said, “NSITF’s management has promised to resume the deductions of the fraudulent taxes from our salaries for the next 12 months; starting from August, 2022.

    “We received a memo early this year informing us that the minimum wage arrears will be paid in three tranches.”

    Another aggrieved worker also accused the management of defying the Salaries and Wages Commission which directed all agencies that have not implemented the minimum wage to do so.

    He said, “Apart from the illegal deductions, the majority of our colleagues working with the fund have not begun to receive the new minimum wage because the management has refused to pay.”

    The NSITF is a Federal Government agency that provides compensation to insured employees who suffer from occupational hazard or sustain injuries from accident at the workplace or in the course of employment.

    Tijani while addressing members of the association alleged that despite the commitment of members of staff, many of them are suffering untold hardship due to poor welfare.

    Tijani said, “The bottom line of the issue at hand has to do with issues of salary review which is long overdue, the issue of our consequential adjustment, and the issue of our retirement savings.”

    But the President said the association has not reached an agreement with the management on the issue of consequential.

    The Vice President of the association, Dare Solomon said concerning staff welfare, the management has not been up to their responsibility.

    Solomon said, “As a result of that, we have to change that narrative. On the issue of our salary review, a committee has been put in place to see the minister on Tuesday, but we appeal to him that our salary has not been reviewed for the past nine years.”

    He said the association anticipates that “by January next year, we have to start our salary review. But until now, we have not had the approval so that come January we will have a new salary review.”

  • NSITF clarifies investigation into misappropriation of N17.158bn

    NSITF clarifies investigation into misappropriation of N17.158bn

    The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) says the 2018 Audit Report by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation over misappropriation has nothing to do with the current management of the fund.

    Mrs Ijeoma Okoronkwo, General Manager, NSITF’s Corporate Affairs, said this in a statement made available in Abuja.

    Okoronkwo said that the clarification had become necessary to forestall further wrong finger-pointing and mischief directed at the current management.

    According to her, the report which raised 50 queries on misappropriation of N17.158bn had nothing to do with the current management, which came into office on June 1, 2021.

    She said that the probe by the Senate  Committee on Public Accounts was in the exercise of its statutory oversight functions.

    “It is important to inform the general public that what is under investigation, are not new infractions but a cumulative financial violations under the management that ran the agency between 2012 and 2017.

    “These infractions are not new. They have in fact been subject of probe since the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation first raised the red flag in 2015.

    “We make it clear therefore that the negative trails of these breaches have nothing to do with the present management beyond assisting the Senate Committee to carry out its oversight functions, ’’ she said.

    Okoronkwo said on record, the EFCC had probed and taken the former Chairman of the Board and five other senior officials, including the Managing Director and three Directors to court over some of the issues.

    She further said that huge sums of money, as well as property, were also recovered, while some of the indicted staff members were equally removed from the office.

    “Indeed, the Senate Committee initiated the current probe;  the Managing Director, Dr Michael Akabogu, set up an internal committee to retrieve from First Bank and Skye Bank detailed transactions involving the fund under the period in probe.

    “Documents were subsequently submitted to the Senate Committee and when they called for the vouchers backing up the transactions, Dr Akabogu requested that the former Managing Directors should be invited to provide further answers, ’’ she said.

    Okoronkwo added that the current management was not in possession of the vouchers.

    She informed the committee that the contents of the container in the premises of the fund, where the former Managing Directors allegedly left the vouchers had succumbed to the elements.

    She further said that this would be substantiated from memos, hitherto written by the fund’s General Services Department on the state of the facility in question.

    Okoronkwo therefore, said that the current management of the NSITF had charted a new course with strategic reforms, strongly anchored on transparency and was producing positive results.

  • Termites have eaten vouchers on N17.158 billion – NSITF

    Termites have eaten vouchers on N17.158 billion – NSITF

    The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) says termites have eaten most of the vouchers containing details of how N17.158 billion yet to be accounted for was spent.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the NSITF made this disclosure to the Senate that is interrogating NSITF’s past and present managements on where monies totalling N17.158 billion were transferred to between January and December 2013.

    The N17.158 billion, as stated in the 2018 audit report, was the total amount of money transferred by NSITF from its Skye Bank and First Bank accounts into various untraceable accounts belonging to individuals and companies from January to December 2013.

    The Auditor General’s office had in the 2018 audit report raised 50 different queries bordering on alleged misappropriation of funds by the management of the agency, which is under probe by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts.

    Specifically, on the N17.158 billion unsubstantiated transfers made by NSITF, the query reads “Management of NSITF as shown in statements of Account No. 1750011691 with Skye bank plc, for the period 1st January, 2013 to 20th December, 2013, and Statements of Account No.2001754610 with First Bank Plc for the period 7th January, 2013 to 28th February, 2013, transferred amounts totalling N17,158,883,034.69billion to some persons and companies from these accounts.

    “However, payment vouchers relating to the transfers together with their supporting documents were not provided for audit. Consequently, the purpose(s) for the transfers could not be authenticated.

    “These are in violation of Financial rule 601 which states that “All payment entries in the cashbook/accounts shall be vouched for on one of the prescribed treasury forms. Vouchers shall be made out in favour of the person or persons to whom the money is actually due.

    “Under no circumstances shall a cheque be raised, or cash paid for services for which a voucher has not been raised”.

    In sustaining or vacating the query, the Senate committee headed by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South) interrogated NSITF’s past and present managements on where monies totalling  N17.158billion were transferred to between January and December 2013.

    But none of the managements could offer a satisfactory explanation on the undocumented multiple transfers, as those at the helm of affairs in 2013 told the committee that they left behind documents like vouchers.

    But the incumbent managing director of NSITF, Dr Michael Akabogu said no such document exists in their kitty.

    He said, “The container the said documents were kept by past management has not only been beaten by rains over the years but even possibly being eaten up by termites.

    “As directed by this committee, I told the past management officers the need for them to help us out in answering this query with necessary documents which have not been made available for us.”

    But in his submissions, the managing director of NSITF from 2010 to 2016, Mallam Umar Munir Abubakar, said he was unaware of the query and had no explanation for it since the audit was not carried out during his tenure.

    But his successor, Mr Adebayo Somefun, who was head of the agency from May 2017 to July 2020, said those in the account section should be able to trace the  documents which the current  General Manager Finance claimed was locked up in an abandoned container within the premises of the NSITF in Abuja.

    Irked by submissions of the past and present NSITF officials, the committee chairman, Senator Urhoghide, ordered them to reappear before the committee with all the requested evidential documents unfailingly on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

    He stated: “This committee has given you people more than enough time to respond to queries slammed on NSITF in the 2018 Audit report by the office of Auditor General of the Federation .

    “The queries are 50 in number ranging from one misappropriation to the other in billions of Naira. The one on N17.158billion multiple transfers carried out in 2013 has not been answered at all, not to talk of N5.5billion  allegedly diverted  into a commercial bank account without approval, N2.2billion unauthorized Investment without adequate records etc.

    “These are completely unacceptable and the committee will make sure  that these queries are sustained if required evidential documents on monies spent or  misappropriated, are not provided.”

  • Reps to investigate recruitment into NSITF, other agencies under ministry of Labour

    Reps to investigate recruitment into NSITF, other agencies under ministry of Labour

    The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate ongoing recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and other agencies under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

    This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Ismail Tijani (APC-Kwara), on the floor of the House on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Tijani stated that the NSITF is currently recruiting for management positions.

    He alleged that only people from a particular part of the country are being recruited in the current exercise, which negates the principles of Federal Character.

    According to him, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, has been embroiled in a battle to control Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), including the NSITF.

    He said that the Minister had been summoned by the National Assembly for the alleged misdemeanor in 2016 and 2021 respectively

    He stated that the summons followed allegations of employment irregularities, impunity, and anomalies indicating gross abuse of office

    He said that the current recruitment process at the NSITF, alleged to be biased, could negatively affect the promotion of hardworking staff of the organisation.

    ”The alleged undue favouritism in the ongoing recruitment exercise at the NSITF could prevent the country from deriving the maximum benefits from the MDAs.

    The House, therefore, mandated the Committees on Federal Character and Labour, Employment and Productivity to investigate the ongoing recruitment in NSITF and other agencies under it.

    The lawmakers also recommended appropriate sanctions for anyone found culpable of undue favouritism and asked the committee to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.