Return alleged N25bn consultancy fee to treasury, TUC tells FG, CBN, REMITA

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) Monday called on the Federal Government, the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the management of REMITA to, as a matter of urgency, clear the air over the news of an alleged N25 billion consultancy fee making the rounds.

TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama

In a statement issued and signed by the TUC President, Comrade Boboi Bala Kaigama and Secretary General, Comrade Musa Lawal respectively, the duo argued that if it is true, the consultant must return the money to the treasury immediately. They said the call became very necessary and expedient following the tension and issues the bogus sum had already generated, even at a time there appears to be a serious relapse of the economy and infrastructure.

The statement further read, “We have tried to no avail to reason out what REMITA (an organisation with probably less than 100 people) has done for Nigeria to earn as much as N25billion in one day! Good a thing the federal government has invited the governors over the issue. But beyond that, we would expect that all the pros and cons linking to the N25b be investigated and the money returned if the administration must be taken seriously.

“At this point in time, it is fundamentally important we remind the President Buhari-led administration on the promise to restore the glory and public confidence of the people. The anti-corruption mantra of the present administration must be fought out no matter whose ox is gored. We support Single Treasury Account policy, but not when it has to do with the misplacement of N25bn, in the name of consultancy.

“Consultancy is a neo-liberal policy of the Brettonwood institutions that has fanned the embers of all the anti-labour practices we have today. Today, casualisation, outsourcing, downsizing and redundancy have become the order of the day in virtually all the organizations and we frown at it. We have some posers!

“Why engage a consultant in the first place? Does it mean the CBN has no credible hands that can handle such jobs even with all the foreign trainings and its cost implications?

“And why pay CBN workers so much if they cannot carry out such simple assignment as ensuring compliance of a policy?

“For Remita, an e-collection agent to allegedly collect N25 billion for a day’s job smacks of corruption which is what we are fighting against.

We are disturbed by this revelation and we insist that beyond probe, the money must be repaid to the treasury. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Ministry of Finance must suspend further implementation of the policy if TSA is all about robbing Peter to pay Paul.

“We call on government to fish out the strongmen behind the ripping off. Our position is that: change must not only be said to have been done, but it must be seen to have been done to all facets of our national life” the statement added.