The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund has dismissed allegations by a group, Transparency and Accountability Group against its Managing Director saying, it cannot succumb to the antics of extortionists in implementing its set-out reforms.
According to Daily Trust, a statement released by its Manager of Corporate Affairs, Nwachukwu Godson, NSITF labelled the allegations as mere attempts by extortionists and detractors to undermine the agency’s efforts. The statement affirmed NSITF’s commitment to pressing forward with its reform agenda despite the smear campaign.
The NSITF refuted claims surrounding the employment of its Managing Director/Chief Executive, asserting that the appointment was made in accordance with relevant sections of the NSITF Act and the Employees Compensation Act, not the Public Service Rule as alleged by TAG.
Addressing specific allegations regarding issues of gratuity payment of N47 million to its MD, NSITF clarified that these issues had already been addressed by a committee set up by the former Minister of Labour and Employment, which found no wrongdoing on the part of the Managing Director.
Godson said they had on 14th May 2024 challenged a cohort of TAG to prove similar allegations or take its trade elsewhere.
“Forthwith, we state that the employment of the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the NSITF, first as General Manager was properly guided by sections 9(3) and (4) of the NSITF Act for employment, terms and conditions of service of staff and by Section 31(c) of the Employees Compensation Act (ECA) and not the Public Service Rule as ignorantly bandied by TAG.”
He said the deliberate distortion of the issues surrounding the N47 million gratuity has adequately been addressed by the immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Simon Lalong through a committee set up in October 2023.
“This Committee, which was chaired by the Director of Finance at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and supervised by the Permanent Secretary, established no guilt against the Managing Director,” the statement reads.
It further reads “Besides, the so-called non-remittance of N2.1bn tax deductions is hogwash, a lie told so many times, which has failed before consistent knockings of available facts. The truth is that the figure N2.1bn itself exists only in the sick but fertile province of mischief.”
