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Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige summoned by National Assembly for Employment Scam
The National Assembly has summoned the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige over alleged recruitment scam.
The Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Employment,
Labour and Productivity on Tuesday, summoned the Minister of Labour and
Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, over alleged recruitment scam at the
Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund.
According to Punch newspaper, the committee, while accusing Ngige of
impunity and gross abuse of office, cancelled all employments by the
ministry between July and September 2016, as the minister is to appear
before the lawmakers on Wednesday (today).
Also summoned by the National Assembly were the Chairman of the Federal
Character Commission, Shettima Bukar-Abba; and Managing Director of
NSITF, Umar Munir Abubakar.
The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif, while
criticising the skewed employment allegedly overseen by Ngige, stated
that the exercise was in violation of the Federal Character principle.
“Employment is of paramount importance and the committee will ensure
that employment is done in a manner that reflects the principles of
Federal Character. I think there’s something going on in NSITF that no
one is willing to talk about.
"It is clear that the minister, Chris Ngige, is responsible for these
irregularities, impunity and anomalies, resulting in gross abuse of his
office and we’ll take action on it,” he said.
The chairman also urged the Senior Special Assistant to the President on
National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, to brief
President Muhammadu Buhari on the development which, he said, was
intended to indict the committee.
According to Nazif, Anambra, had 44 slots out of the 131 available, with
some states such as Katsina and Kwara getting one and none,
respectively.
“We want you, Senator Ita Enang, to inform the President about it
because he (Ngige) is trying to put this committee in trouble. Anambra
has 44, while other states have two or even one,” he said.