Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige has accused suspended management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) of awarding about 332 contracts worth about N4.448 billion in one day.
The incident, he said, took place two days after he left office as Minister in 2019.
The Minister, who made a two- hour presentation before the House of Representatives ad hoc Committee investigating an arbitrary breach of Presidential breeches, alleged the suspended management committed about 74 different infractions for which they were suspended.
He listed some of the infractions to include extra-budgetary spending, making payment for unapproved expenditure, overspending on administrative issues, irregular direct payment from the Employees Compensation Act, irregularities in staff group assurance policy and making payment for Assurance policy without a policy cover.
He further said the management paid about N180 million to solicitors hired without the approval of the AGF to handle a case of a former employee who was supposed to be paid about N60 million.
He said that some payments by the fund were without the signature of the Managing Director.
He also alleged the management approved about N9.8 million as leave grant and overseas holiday for themselves and family members for 30 days, flying first class even when he didn’t approve such trips.
“They earned humongous salaries and allowances and took housing loans for themselves without coming to the Minister,” he further alleged.
Ngige said the management split contract worth N4,889,320,06 to avoid Ministerial Tenders Board and FEC Scrutiny, violated E-Payment and paid without relevant support documents to the tune of N966,622,231.3.
The Minister said the suspension of the management had a presidential approval via letter REF:SGF/OP/1.S.3/T/163 dated 19 May 2020.
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