By Comfort Olayinka
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has debunked alligation of about N2.1B salary deduction, double taxation by it staff against the Managing Director Maureen Allagoa,says the allegation is embedded in malicious falsehood.
Recall that staff of NSITF in protest stormed the NSITF headquarters entrance on Friday in Abuja, chanting solidarity songs, and truncating business activities.
In a statement released by Mr Nwachukwu Godson GM Corporate Affairs on Friday stated NSITF under Allagoa’s administration paid deserving attention to staff welfare, which includes review of staff conditions of service, consolidated salary structure amongst others.
Addressing issues of staff stagnation raised during the protest,he described the accusation as baseless, stating that promotion exams were held in 2022 and 2023.says the one held in September 2023 was put on hold following the directive of the Ministry of Labor to address attendant issues.
” One is that the so-called N2.1B tax deducted from the staff emoluments did not take place under the management of Maureen Allagoa rather under the former management led by Dr. Michael Akabogu.”
“Besides, the allegation is embedded in malicious falsehood”
“At the conciliation meeting earlier today presided over by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the NSITF’S Executive Director Finance, Adegoke Adedeji provided evidence that the Fund remitted the National Housing Fund , Retirement savings and the N2.1B tax.”
” Besides, the allegation of staff stagnation is baseless as promotion examinations were held in 2022 as well in 2023 . The management promotion examination slated for September 2023 was put in abeyance following the directives of the Ministry of Labour in order to address attendant issues”
“The NSITF under Allagoa has paid deserving attention to staff welfare . It reviewed the staff conditions of service, which came into operation 29 years ago . It also implemented a new consolidated salary structure approved by the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission, as well as took sundry measures to reward hard work and excellence.”
‘It is only an enemy of progress that is blind to the new direction the Fund has taken under her leadership.”
He said “The genesis of the protest and picketing at the headquarters of the NSITF is tarcable to the patriotic insistence of the NSITF management of Maureen Allagoa to reform the Fund along the 8 point agendaTinubu Administration”. He added.
“Tax evation or underpayment is a crime punishable by law. The MD is thereof resolute that the NSITF under her watch must not be found wanting. *Inappropriate tax deductions were inherited by the leadership of NSITF under the current MD/CE”
He stated “The fact is that the appropriate tax regime was to be implemented in January 2024, but the domestic chapter of ASSBIFI complained that the timing was wrong and that staff members needed to be educated properly on the matter. It was therefore agreed at the social dialogue convened over the issue to use the months of February and March to enlighten staff and prepare their minds on the appropriate tax regime while April was agreed as the take off date”.
“Reforms are usually difficult to execute, and this is not different. Staff do not want the appropriate tax . Hence, all the issues raised during the protest were part of the attempt to frustrate the implementation of the appropriate tax through blackmail”.
