By Victor AhiumaYoung & Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

THE Management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has raised the alarm over renewed blackmail and falsehood against it by extortionists, blackmailers and detractors, saying no amount of blackmail and falsehood can stop it from implementing President Bola Tinubu’s 8-Point Agenda for the good of the people.

The Managing Director of the Fund, Maureen Allagoa, while reacting to a statement by a group: Anti-Corruption, Good Governance and Human Rights Watch Network, AGHRWN, claiming  rot and corruption in the agency, maintained that NSITF has nothing to hide, and that the agency’s books have been open for public scrutiny since her appointment in 2023. 

The group had in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Muhammed  Usman, and Secretary, Babatunde Adekunle, among others, called on President Tinubu, the National Assembly and the Attorney- General of the Federation, to direct anti-graft agencies to thoroughly investigate the current management of NSITF and prosecute those found guilty. 

Allagoa in a statement by the Fund’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Nwachukwu Godson, lamented that there had been orchestrated waves of uninformed and baseless publications by phantom groups and persons sponsored to tarnish the image of NSITF. 

The statement quoted her as saying: “We have nothing to hide, and our books have been open for public scrutiny since I was appointed as the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the NSITF in 2023. Upon appointment, my Executive set a target whose thrust lies in the reform of the agency to fully implement the Employees Compensation Scheme.

“The truth is that the NSITF at the moment is probably one of the most scrutinized agencies of government and no verdict of guilt has been established  beyond the usual nebulous tattletales and beer parlour gossip that lack logic and facts.”

“Following petitions from Nigerians, among whom are those with genuine concerns and others with undisguised mal fide, the anti-corruption agencies have been investigating those petitions but are yet to pin any wrong doing on me or my executive.  

“We therefore dare those behind these publications to make available to the public, one proven case of corruption against the NSITF since I assumed office in February 2023.