• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Ngige to inaugurate contentious NSITF board, others on Monday

CHRIS-NGIGE
After several weeks of crises that have trailed attempts to inaugurate boards of parastatals under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Presidency has given nods for the inauguration of the Boards by the Minister, Chris Ngige.
The event which is scheduled for Monday , at the old banquet hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, by 9am, is to ensure that the event is not scuttled unlike the previous situation.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, on Sunday, the Presidency said it “has noted with deep concern and regrets, the events that culminated in a skirmish at the private residence of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, and condemns it, in its entirety.
“However, in the spirit of reconciliation, the Presidency appeals for calm from the NLC and the Ministry of Labour and Employment officials”
Adesina said there are ongoing efforts to reconcile the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, led by their Minister who has doggedly been fighting the cause of Nigerian workers whenever their issue is discussed by government, the latest being the enactment of the new National Minimum Wage Act 2019.
Recall that following the disagreement between the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the appointment of the Chairman of the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, the Minister has been unable to inaugurate the boards
Adesina in the statement recalled that the NSITF is a hundred percent, Federal Government of Nigeria owned insurance parastatal, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, designed for the role of insuring workers (employees) in the public and private sectors.
The organization is empowered by law to implement the Employee Compensation Act (ECA) 2010 with mandate to insure workers and pay them compensation for accidents, deaths and injuries in the course of work, was however, bedevilled and riddled with corruption between 2012 – 2015, which resulted in a colossal loss and mismanagement of about N48 billion out of the total N62 billion contributions during the said period.
“These were contributions by the Employers – viz government and the private sector for payment of compensation to workers and even to Employers for loss of man-hours by their workers.
The fraud which is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led to the last Chairman, some of the former board members and officials of the NSITF presently being prosecuted by the EFCC.
Presidency however exonerated Ngige of any wrong doing, saying that “actions taken by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment towards the resuscitation and repositioning of this ailing agency, including the Administrative Panel of Inquiry into the affairs of NSITF and the suspension of the inauguration of the board in 2018 were part of the special work plan approved for the Honourable Minister by Mr. President.
“The appointment of the Chairman of this board, which is in consonance with Sec. 4(a) of the NSITF Act CAP N88 of 2004 was also approved by Mr. President since 23rd July, 2018 on the recommendation of the Hon. Minister.
According to him, the incoming Chairman, “Austin Enejamo-Isire, a Chartered Accountant, Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and renowned Insurance expert, Senior Member, Chartered Institute of Insurance of Nigeria (CIIN), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) was approved by Mr. President for this position.
Also approved by Mr. President were the appointments of the Managing Director and three Executive Directors who had assumed duties since 18 April 2017.
Others are the Non-Executive Directors are two (2) members to represent the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), two members to represent the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and one (1) member each to represent the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. Members of this board are to be formally inaugurated   at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 13, 2019 by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja.
“Comrade Frank Kokori , our respected veteran labour leader has Mr. President’s  immense respect and has also been appointed on the recommendation of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment to chair the board of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS),  a diploma awarding labour institution.