N17.158 billion investigation: NSITF responds to criticism about vouchers being destroyed by termites

The 2018 report from the Auditor-General of the Federation, according to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), has nothing to do with the current management.
Ijeoma Okoronkwo, general manager of corporate affairs, responded to the outrage over the loss of the documentation of the N17.158 billion spending.
The present and previous leadership were questioned by a Senate committee under the direction of Senator Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South) regarding funds transferred between January and December 2013.
The parliamentarians were informed by the current NSITF managing director, Michael Akabogu, that the vouchers could not be produced.
He explained that the container they were kept by the past management “has not only been beaten by rains over the years but even possibly being eaten up by termites.
“I told the past management officers the need for them to help us out in answering this query with necessary documents which have not been made available for us.”
Umar Munir Abubakar, the NSITF MD from 2010 to 2016, stated he was unable to respond because the audit was not conducted during his time in office.
Adebayo Somefun, his successor from May 2017 until July 2020, stated that individuals working in the account area ought to be able to track down the paperwork.
Okoronkwo notified the public in a statement that the monies under investigation are a result of cumulative financial breaches from 2012 to 2017.
“These offenses are not brand-new. Since the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation first raised a red flag about them in 2015, they have really been the focus of investigations.
“The negative trails of these breaches have nothing to do with the present management beyond assisting the Senate Committee to carry out its oversight functions,” he said.
The Managing Director, three Directors, and the previous NSITF board chairman were all sued by the EFCC, according to Okoronkwo, over some of the issues.
The representative said that enormous sums of money and other assets had been recovered, and that indicted employees had been fired.
Okoronkwo claimed that once the Senate launched the present investigation, Akabogu established an internal committee to gather information about transactions in First Bank and Skye Bank.
The official claimed that once the Senate demanded the vouchers detailing the transactions, Akabogu asked that the former MD be given the opportunity to respond further.
The present management was not in possession of the vouchers, according to the NSITF statement.

GOGAN Media.