The prolonged silence of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, regarding the pervasive corruption in some of the agencies of the ministry under her watch, notably the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) which has degenrated into a slush fund for political appointees, is raising concerns among Nigerians.
While the country struggles to overcome the crippling effects of corruption on its economy and the soaring poverty rate, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is working tirelessly to combat corruption, yet those in positions of power are becoming more brazen in their embezzlement of public funds, perpetuating the very problem the EFCC is trying to solve.
A brief examination of the rerecent protest by the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has thrust the matter into the spotlight, putting the issue at the forefront of public attention and sparking urgent calls for action.
Two weeks ago, NUBIFIE members, comprising aggrieved workers of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), staged a protest against double taxation and illegal deductions from their salaries. This is not an isolated incident; in 2023, the union petitioned the Head of Service of the Federation, accusing the NSITF management of breaching agreements, violating recruitment rules, and demoting staff.
The Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged (CENTREP) had before now, called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a panel of inquiry into the alleged monumental fraud at NSITF. The group alleges that the current Managing Director, Mrs. Maureen Allagoa, approved and paid herself over N47 million as gratuity while still in office, contravening extant rules. A case that is still pending in one of the country’s anti graft agencies.
CENTREP’s National Chairman, Oghenejabor Ikimi, expressed dismay at the development, questioning why the agency has not been investigated since the exit of the former managing director, Dr. Michael Akabuogu.
Ikimi criticized the NSITF, stating that it has failed to meet its core mandate of providing a safe shelter net for employees and has instead become a hub of corruption and fraudulent activities.
In 2023, NSITF spent over N12.4 billion on promotion, appointment, and productivity allowances. The provision is bigger than the N2.9 billion earmarked for occupational disease claims, a core function of the agency and the N8.2 billion earmarked for capital projects.
Experts and civil society organizations have called for a microscope to be placed on government agency officials embezzling resources for personal benefit, while neglecting their fundamental obligations. The curious case of the NSITF should be a matter of the heart. The NSITF is funded from mandated contributions by companies and some government agencies. The accrued resources are designed to provide compensations to workers or their relatives for work-related injuries such as physical harm, mental stresses and even deaths, but this is longer the case.
For instance, in 2024, NSITF plans to spend N83 billion, out of which only N8.02 billion will go to sundry forms of injury/death claims, the raison d’etre of the organisation.
Recall that, the former Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, set up a committee to investigate NSITF under Mrs. Allagoa and later recommended her removal, but the process didn’t see the light of the day when he left the ministry for the Senate. Sources within the ministry claim that the current minister, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha buried the file the moment Lalong left the ministry.
Onyejeocha’s deafening silence amidst the cacophony of corruption allegations engulfing NSITF and other agencies under her purview has raised serious concerns.
The minister’s obstinate refusal to establish an investigative panel to probe the NSITF Managing Director’s actions, despite the avalanche of allegations against her, raises a plethora of red flags and fuels suspicions about her own complicity. This inaction casts a long shadow of doubt over her commitment to transparency and accountability, leaving many to wonder what she might be hiding and why she appears so determined to shield the embattled MD from scrutiny.
Insiders within the ministry reveal that directors are seething with discontent over her authoritarian grip on the ministry’s affairs, which they liken to a private fiefdom. Accusations abound that she has hijacked the ministry, installing cronies – including her brother, son, family members and friends – as proxy consultants, while benching seasoned directors and fostering a toxic work environment. Her dictatorial approach to decision-making, imposed decisions without regard for senior civil servants’ input, has become the norm, with her cronies serving as enforcers, harassing directors and trampling on established civil service protocols.
The minister has become notorious for her authoritarian approach, rebuffing wise counsel and disregarding dissenting voices. She is impervious to reason, driven solely by her own self-interest, and makes decisions that serve only her own agenda, heedless of the far-reaching repercussions. Her leadership style is a stark embodiment of the adage ‘my way or the highway’, leaving a trail of frustration and disillusionment in its wake.
Insiders reveal that some directors, including ministry staff handling her secretariat business at the ministry, who are dissatisfied with her leadership approach have quietly amassed a dossier of contentious contracts, tracing a pattern of favoritism that benefits her and her son’s business associates, raising serious questions about her stewardship and the ministry’s accountability.
The minister would do well to remember that her position is a public trust, and she is ultimately accountable to the people of Nigeria and the oath of office she swore to uphold. Her leadership style, marred by ethical lapses must give way to a more transparent and inclusive approach. She should heed the cautionary tale of Betta Edu, who was swiftly brought down by the same political forces she once thought protected her.
She must resist the temptation of avarice and the desperation to accumulate excess, which is already raising eyebrows in the public and threatening to tarnish the career she has worked tirelessly to establish. Her extravagant lifestyle is under scrutiny, and she must recognize that the watchful eyes of the public are ever vigilant, judging her actions and waiting to hold her accountable. Greed and desperation may momentarily blind her to the consequences, but they will ultimately prove to be her downfall, destroying the very reputation she has striven so hard to build. The Eagle’s eye is on her!
Ifeanyi Okafor writes from California, United States of America.
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