Olejeme: Sensitive Documents On N84 Billion Misappropriation Missing In NSITF

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has summoned the Former Managing Directors of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) over missing of some financial documents in the agency.

Among the former Managing Directors of NSTIF that are expected to appear before the Committee are Alhaji Umar Munir Abubakar, Adebayo Somefun and former Chairman of the agency, Ngozi Olejeme.

The Committee chaired by Senator Mathew Urhoghide decided to invite the former Managing Directors following the failure of the officials of the agency to respond to queries from the Office of Auditor General of the Federation over financial infractions in the NSTIF.

Out of 50 queries of the Auditor General of the Federation, the Committee was able to establish that N84 billion has been misappropriated by the officials of the agency.

At the resumption of the Investigation on the Auditor General queries of the agency last week, the Committee discovered that the agency was unable to present any financial documents relating to the issue raised by the Committee.

The newly Appointed, Executive Director Finance and Investment, Mrs. Caroline Akinwale specifically told the lawmakers that there is no available documents concerning the transactions in question and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is also in Court with some of the former Managing Directors involved in the financial infractions.

The Chairman however directed the agency to list the issue that the documents are available and the issue currently with the anti-graft agency.

He also ordered for invitations of the Former Managing Directors to come and give account of what transpired under their tenures.

According to him, we can no longer take excuse that there is no record for the mentioned financial transactions, go back to your office and look for it and we are also inviting the former Managing Directors of the NSTIF. They are to appear before us on Tuesday.

The Chairman had indicated at the end of the first day of investigative hearing that 12 out 50 queries investigated so far by the Committee over N84 billion was misappropriated, in four years.