N3bn fraud: Minister summons NASS staff union leadership

N3bn fraud: Minister summons NASS staff union leadership

ABUJA- FOLLOWING allegation of N3 billion fraud levelled against executive members of the National Assembly chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has summoned the leadership and some aggrieved members.

The ministry in a letter signed by the Director/Registrar, Department of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations for the minister, invited the PASAN leaders and the aggrieved members to a meeting tomorrow.

The invitation letter, titled “Re: Petition Against the Misappropriation of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, National Assembly chapter and Threats of Suspension of Members (sic)”, was signed by the Director/Registrar, Trade Unions, Amos Falonipe Amos on behalf of the minister.

Recall that a member of PASAN, Yusuf Abiola, had at a briefing in Abuja early this month, accused the union executive of funds’ misappropriation.

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Abiola , who spoke on behalf of the concerned members of PASAN, had noted that the leadership of PASAN, National Assembly chapter, allegedly misappropriated N3 billion union funds.

He also demanded the audited financial statements and operational reports from 2019 till date from the executive and vowed to petition relevant authorities to seek redress.

In a swift reaction to the allegation, the chairman of PASAN in the National Assembly, Sunday Sabiyyi, in a statement jointly signed with the Secretary, David Ann Ebizimoh, described the allegation as baseless, frivolous and defamatory.

Sabiyyi called on members of the union and the general public to disregard what he described as “unfounded blackmail intended to distract the union from pursuing its mandate coherently to the letter.”

But the labour ministry in its letter of invitation, dated October 25, 2024, with reference number FMLE/TU/136/111/82 has, however, summoned the parties involved through a letter addressed to the General Secretary, National Assembly chapter of PASAN.

N3bn fraud: Minister summons NASS staff union leadership