Ime Akpan
Former labour leader and general secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, has turned down the federal government’s appointment as chairman of the board of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS).
The presidency announced the appointment at the weekend to douse the festering face-off between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the minister of labour and employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.
President Muhammadu Buhari had initially appointed Kokori as the chairman of the board of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) but Ngige vehemently refused to swear Kokori.
He said his refusal was in compliance with Section 4(a) of the NSITF Act, which he said, prohibits the appointment of any person with interest in labour matters to chair the board.
Subsequently, recommended Mr. Austin Enejamo-Isire to the president for approval to head the board.
A statement issued on Sunday by the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Buhari had appointed “our respected veteran labour leader” to head the MINILS board.
“Following the disagreement between the federal ministry of labour and employment and the leadership of the NLC over the appointment of the chairman of the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), the Presidency wishes to clarify as follows:
“That the NSITF is a hundred per cent, federal government of Nigeria owned insurance parastatal, under the supervision of the federal ministry of labour and employment, designed for the role of insuring workers (employees) in the public and private sectors. The organization is empowered by law to implement the Employee Compensation Act (ECA) 2010 with mandate to insure workers and pay them compensation for accidents, deaths and injuries in the course of work.
“The NSITF was bedevilled and riddled with corruption between 2012 – 2015, which resulted in a colossal loss and mismanagement of about N48 billion out of the total N62 billion contributions during the said period.
“These were contributions by the Employers – viz government and the private sector for payment of compensation to workers and even to Employers for loss of man-hours by their workers. This fraud has been investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the last Chairman and some members of the former board and some officials of the NSITF are presently being prosecuted by the EFCC.
“All actions taken by the honourable minister of labour and employment towards the resuscitation and repositioning of this ailing agency, including the Administrative Panel of Inquiry into the affairs of NSITF and the suspension of the inauguration of the board in 2018 were part of the special work plan approved for the honourable minister by Mr. President.
“The appointment of the chairman of this board, which is in consonance with Section 4(a) of the NSITF Act CAP N88 of 2004, was also approved by Mr. President since 23rd July, 2018, on the recommendation of the minister. Mr. Austin Enejamo-Isire, a chartered accountant; Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a renowned insurance expert; senior member, Chartered Institute of Insurance of Nigeria; Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria was approved by Mr. President for this position.”
“Members of this board are to be formally inaugurated at 9am on Monday, May 13, 2019, by the Hon Minister of Labour and Employment at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja.
“Comrade Frank Kokori, our respected veteran labour leader, has Mr. President’s immense respect and has also been appointed on the recommendation of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment to chair the board of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, a diploma-awarding labour institution,” said Adesina.
However, Kokori said in his reaction that he would not accept the position offered by the government stressing if he was appointed as “instructor” two decades earlier, he might have probably accepted it.
“I will not accept it because I am not desperate. If I was offered that many years ago, that would be okay with my experience. I don’t have to go and teach in the classroom. I am just protecting the interest of Nigerian workers. When I retired 20 years ago, I should have gladly accepted the position of an instructor,” he said.
