PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Adebayo Somefun, and four executive directors of the agency to proceed on indefinite suspension.
The suspended executive directors include the Executive Director, Finance and Investment, Jasper Ikedi Azusalam; Executive Director, Operations, Olukemi Nelson and Executive Director, Administration, Tijani Darazo Sulaiman.
This was disclosed in a statement by Charles Akpan, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Akpan also announced the suspension of some management staff which include Olusegun Olumide Bashorun, General Manager, Administration/Human Resources/Maintenance; Lawan Tahir, General Manager, Finance; Chris Esedebe, General Manager, Claims and Compensation; Olodotun A. Adegbite, Deputy General Manager, Investment and Treasury Management; Emmanuel Enyinnaya Sike, Deputy General Manager, Finance and Accounts.
Others are; Olutoyin O. Arokoyo, Deputy General Manager/Acting Head, Legal; Dorathy Zajeme Tukura, Deputy General Manager, Administration, and Mrs. Victoria Ayantuga, Assistant General Manager, Internal Audit.
The officers, the statement said, were suspended due to alleged infractions on the extant Financial Regulations and Procurement Act, and other acts of gross misconduct.
“During the period of their suspension, the suspended Officers are to face a JOINT Board and Audit Investigative Panel that has been set up to look into the financial and procurement breaches, as well as gross misconduct in the NSITF for periods of 2016 to date, which have invariably put the Contributions of stakeholders in a perilous state.
“The affected Officers have also been directed to hand over to the most senior Officers in their respective Departments. The Executive Directors are therefore to hand over to the most senior General Managers, while the Managing Director will hand over to the most Senior Officer in the Fund,” the statement said.
Following the suspension, Kelly Nwagha, General Manager of the Health, Safety and Environment Department, as the most senior General Manager in the NSITF, now assumes the position of Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.
Temitope Akinwale, a chartered accountant, who was until now the Regional General Manager in charge of Ibadan Region has been asked by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, to take charge of multiple positions in NSITF. He will be acting as General Manager in charge of Finance and to concurrently oversee the Office of the Executive Director of Finance and Investment as the Acting Executive Director.
Maureen Allagoa, also the Regional General Manager in charge of Port Harcourt Region has been moved to NSITF headquarters as General Manager in charge of Administration, Human Resources and Maintenance and to concurrently oversee the Office of the Executive Director of Administration as Acting Executive Director.
Baba Ma’aji Kabir, General Manager of Administration and Maintenance moves to Enforcement Department while concurrently overseeing the Office of the Executive Director of Operations as the Acting Executive Director.
“All the appointments are with effect from Monday, 6th July 2020 and will last until further notice. The Honourable Minister has also charged the Chairman of the Board – Mr. Austin Enajemo Isire, FCA; FCII; to take charge, in order to ensure that the Investigative Panel commence work as soon as possible and for the Board to facilitate the smooth running of the Fund by creating the enabling environment and all the necessary staff adjustments and movements, in order to guarantee that services by staff to the Contributors do not in any way suffer,” the statement said.
