Reps to probe Labour Minister over suspension of NSITF management

The House of Representatives on Tuesday unveiled plans to investigate the allegations levelled against the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige bothering on the usurpation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s power on the recent suspension of top management and Executive Committee members of the Nigeria Social insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion under Urgent Public Importance sponsored by Hon. ‘Leke Abejide, who frowned at the crisis.

Some of the lawmakers who spoke in favour of the motion include Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Hon. Abiodun Faleke and Hon. Sada Soli, frowned at the flagrant abuse of extant regulations and the endemic corruption.

In his remarks, Hon. Faleke alleged that the suspension of NSITF management was to allow the Minister have access to the budget of the agency in which he inserted about N2 billion projects and single-handedly got his wife who works in the office of the Head of Service to sign a letter granting him permission to hire insurance brokers for the fund.

In his contribution, Sada Soli (APC, Katsina) said from the outcome of his investigation on NSITF which is yet to be considered by the House, he can conclude that the present Chairman of the NSITF board is a crony of the Minister.

Hon. Soli argued that Senator Ngige refused to inaugurate Frank Kokori as Chairman of the Board even after his appointment by the President because of his realisation that Kokori will not allow corrupt practices in the agency.

Hon. Soli who stated that the actions of the Minister are in gross contravention of Sections 6, 7 and 8 of the NSITF (Establishment) Act which guides the operations of NSITF, hence called on the House to thoroughly investigate the matter so that justice can be seen to be done.

In his lead debate, Hon. Abejide alleged that Senator Ngige in a letter dated July 1, 2020, purportedly conveyed the directive of Mr. President to suspend from office, the entire Management of NSITF for “prima facie infractions on the financial regulation and Procurement Act.”

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According to him, the members of the NSlTF were variously and collectively appointed into the position at the pleasure of Mr. President who has approved a laid down procedure for removal of Executives of Government Parastatals.

Hon. Abejide argued that the Minister of Labour was in breach of the Presidential directive circular dated May 19, 2020, issued by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), stated that the procedure contained in the circular was a mandatory guide and all Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and any other public officer in similar supervisory positions must strictly adhere to.

He argued that none of the Ministers is procedurally empowered to remove the Executive of any agency under any guise including suspension but Ngige, in this case, constituted himself into the sole authority thereby, bypassing all the stated procedures as approved by the President to convey suspension of these officers.

“In confirmation of the unilateral decision of the Hon. Minister, that the Nigeria Employers‘ Consultative Association (NECA) an institutional stakeholder in the NSITF representing 90% of the contributors to the Fund and a member of the Board of the Fund by its letter of July 3 to the Minister and the advertorial in the dailies of July 6, 2020 lend its voice to the arbitrariness of the action of the Minister confirming the fact that though the Board was duly constituted and inaugurated by the Honourable Minister in line with the Act governing the Fund.

“The Board was not informed nor was it aware of the allegations of the infractions levelled against the Management. The suspension is in total disregard of the well-publicised disciplinary procedures approved by the President and released by the SGF.

“In the event where the management is to be disciplined and or suspended, this should have been done by a resolution of the Board of the Fund and channelled through the office of the SGF,” he said.

The lawmaker further observed that the incessant flagrant disobedience of presidential directives as witnessed recently with the actions of the Ministers of Labour and Employment and his counterpart in Power, leaves room for potential breaches of laid down rules and procedure, thereby making the government look unserious before the general public.

To this end, the House consequently set up an Ad-hoc Committee chaired by Hon. Mariam Onuoha, with the mandate to investigate the procedural breaches of the Presidential directives by both the Ministers of Labour & Employment and Minister of Power.

The Committee is also expected to probe the financial malpractices and malfeasance by these Ministries and report back to the House within one week.