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James Ojo, Abuja
The controversy which stalled the inauguration of the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) reached a climax, yesterday.
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, had constituted the board on October 2017 with veteran labour activist, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori as chairman of the 12- member board.
But, its inauguration had been dogged with several postponements.
On several occasions, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, justified the delay and attributed it to the need to clean the agency of the financial rot perpetrated by the last board headed by Mrs. Ngozi Olojeme.
When Kokori was honoured for his roles in the June 12 struggle and the 40 years anniversary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kokori drew the president’s attention to the delay in inaugurating the NSITF board.
But, the minister insisted that the board would only be inaugurated after implementing the reports and findings of a nine-man panel he set up to sanitise the agency.
As the coast appeared set for the inauguration yesterday, another drama stalled it. Few hours before the event, a new list of members appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari was circulated where a different name was listed as NSITF board chairman.
Kokori’s name was replaced with that of Mr Austin Enayem-Isire, who was described as a chartered accountant.
New board members appointed are Olawale, Osuolale Timothy, Dr. Mohammed, J. Yinusa, Comrade Waheed Adewale Adeyanju, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, Dr. Ifeoma Anyanwutaku, Mrs. Dutse Umma Aminu, Jasper Azutalam (Executive Director, Finance) and Tijani Suleiman. Other members are Mrs. Kemi Nelson (Executive Director, Operations), Adebayo Somefun (Managing Director and Chief Executive).
Mrs Ijeoma Orji Okoronkwo is board secretary.
A day before, Kokori insisted he would present himself for inauguration as NSITF board chairman and was seated at the minister’s conference hall with other board members, which eventually did not hold.
The NLC, led by its President, Comrade Ayiba Wabba, mobilised members to protest what he called injustice to Kokori.
Speaking after a director in the ministry informed that the ceremony had been cancelled, Wabba accused the minister of not wanting Kokori in the NSITF board because of his transparency and openness
NLC, however, vowed to to stop the ceremony if Kokori is not inaugurated as NSITF chairman.
NUPENG disclosed that an emergency meeting of its highest decision making organ would be summoned after the Easter holiday, on the issue.
Hours after, the ministry issued a statement signed by Rhoda Ishaku IIiya, the minister’s Head of Press, to explain why the inauguration was postponed.
“Due to circumstances beyond our control, inauguration of the NSITF board was cancelled.
“The inconveniences by this cancellation is most painfully regretted.
