Ngige Inaugurates NSITE Board Amid Protest By NLC

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has inaugurated the new National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) board after a two-year delay amidst protest march against him by leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

BIGPEN ONLINE learnt that NLC protest on Monday was over alleged deployment of thugs by Ngige to attack them during the recent picketing of his residence in Abuja.

But the Minister has since denied knowledge of presence of the said thugs in his residence, saying he never invited them.

Ngige while inaugurating the new board in Abuja, on Monday, said that the two-year delay in the inauguration is as a result of massive looting in the organisation between 2012 and 2015.

According to the minister, between that period, the sum of N62.5 billion was contributed out of which N48 billion was unaccounted for and N25 billion was withdrawn without vouchers.

The new board is to be chaired by Austin Enejomo-Isire.

The past board members are currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ngige, however, charged the new board to resist the temptation of fixing special allowances for themselves urging them to execute their duties fairly and transparently.

He also advised them to focus on staff welfare, not personal enrichment.

The inauguration of the new board comes a day after the Presidency said Ngige, had the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari in all the actions he (Ngige) had taken concerning the NSITF.