NSITF bosses swept off over alleged financial malfeasance

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate and indefinite suspension of the Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Mr Adebayo Somefun, three Executive Directors and eight management staff.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Press and Public Relations officer of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Charles Akpan.
The Executive Directors suspended are Jasper Ikedi-Azuatalam (Finance and Investment), Olukemi Nelson (Operations) and Tijani Darazo Sulaiman (Administration).
The eight management staff suspended are Olusegun Olumide-Bashorun (General Manager, Administration/Human Resources/Maintenance), Lawan Tahir (General Manager, Finance), Chris Esedebe (General Manager, Claims and Compensation), Olodotun Adegbite (Deputy General Manager, Investment and Treasury Management), Emmanuel Enyinnaya-Sike (Deputy General Manager, Finance and Accounts), Mrs. Olutoyin O. Arokoyo (Deputy General Manager/Acting Head, Legal), Ms. Dorathy Zajeme Tukura (Deputy General Manager, Administration), and Mrs. Victoria Ayantuga (Assistant General Manager, Internal Audit).
“Their suspension from Office arose from the preliminarily established prima facie 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.
The statement said the Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige has directed Kelly Nwagha (General Manager, Health, Safety and Environment Department) to assume the position of Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, being the most senior General Manager in the organisation.
The statement said the minister also directed that Mrs Temitope Akinwale (Regional General Manager, Ibadan Region) should take ove 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.
The statement reads: “Barrister (Mrs). Maureen Allagoa, FIPM, also the Regional General Manager in charge of Port Harcourt Region moves 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.
“Mr. 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.”
▪︎ Report by Optimum Times