The attention of the Corporate Affairs Commission has been drawn to series of online publications in respect of the above caption. The article contains several allegations against the Commission. The allegations are figment of imagination of the AUPCTRE who could still not accept the reality of losing check up dues of over N2Million monthly from the Commission following the stoppage of check up dues deduction in respect of senior staff.
The Commission would not have bothered to respond but for the blatant falsehood demonstrated. The write up is a cheap blackmail, a figment of the writer’s imagination. It smacks of mischief, an attempt to ridicule the Registrar-General and the Commission.
However, for the avoidance of doubt and to set the records straight, the Commission wishes to respond to the allegations as follows:
➢ Shortchanging staff allowances and entitlements
The 2019 promotion examination was held in 2020 and no budgetary provision was made for the payment of promotion arrears dating back to 1st January, 2019. The Board had the option to make the promotion to take effect from 1st January, 2020 but decided to retain the actual date of 1st January, 2019 so that the beneficiaries would maintain their seniority particularly when the 2020 promotion examination was being held about one month after. The total arrears would have been over N560million if the financial benefit was to start from 1st January, 2019.
➢ Stoppage of staff loans
Since the introduction of Treasury Single Account, the Commission did not have a separate Revolving Loan Account as was the case in the past.
The Commission had been approving and granting loans from the revenue account and loan recoveries were not properly accounted for.
Some members of staff have become over exposed due to indiscriminate borrowing from Commercial Banks and the Staff Cooperative Society with total deductions in most cases in excess of 33 1/3 percent contrary to the Condition of Service and Public Service Rule.
The Commission has just created a Revolving Loan Account pursuant to the approval of the Board and the budgeted sum will be credited into the account as cash flow permits.
On Staff Cooperative Loans, these are matters between the members and the Cooperative Society. Management does not get involved in the activities of the Cooperative Society other than deducting the contributions of staff and remitting to the Society as part of ways of instituting saving culture amongst staff.
➢ Stoppage of all welfare proposals
Management does not have the power to increase staff salaries and allowances without the approval of the Board and in consultation with the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission.
➢ Doubts about RG’s CCB Declaration
Contrary to their claim, the Registrar General has declared his assets in accordance with provisions of the laws of the land. It is laughable that the claimants were raising doubt about the content of Asset declaration they are not privy to. It behoves them to establish any case of wrong declaration.
➢ Staff Victimization/Transfer
Transfers are routine matters in the Commission as enshrined in the Staff Condition of Service, in the course of duty a staff may be posted to any of the Commission’s offices around the country.
➢ Abuse of Power, Financial Impropriety and commercialization of promotion examination in the commission
The 2019 examination was held on the 10th October, 2020 at JAMB CBT Centres in Abuja, Kano and Lagos.
A total of 394 staff sat for the 2019 promotion examination. The result of the examination was published the same day at the Commission’s website upon receipt from JAMB.
At the end of final collation, a total of 258 candidates were successful and promotion letters were issued to the staff upon approval by the Board of the Commission. It is highly mischievous for anybody to claim that the process was commercialized.
While considering the report on the promotion examination, the Board expressed concern over the exponential growth in the number of staff on certain rank which was completely disproportionate to the total number of staff in the Commission
and its implication to staff cost and the entire structure of the Commission.
No responsible organization will allow two (2) grade levels in the staff structure to account for over one-third of the total workforce and 40% of staff cost.
It was on this basis that the Board approved maximum manning levels for officers at the levels of Directors (GL17), Deputy Directors (GL16), Assistant Directors (GL15), Principal Managers (GL 14) and Senior Managers (GL 13).
➢ Inflation of consultancy fees for tax reconciliation
The tax consultant was engaged long before the appointment of the present Registrar General and his fees is based on the percentage of savings made to the Commission as contained in his engagement letter. The Consultant was able to renegotiate the Commission’s tax liability with a saving of about N600 million.
➢ Financial impropriety with regards to the cost of training board members
This is yet another unfounded allegation. Since assuming office as the Registrar General, Alhaji Garba Abubakar has ensured that Trainings are competitive and carried out in accordance with the laid down rules and regulations. The training referred to was fully residential with over 60 participants.
➢ Fumigation of the Head office and Zone 5 office at inflated rates
Contrary to their claim that the sum of N35 million was spent on Fumigation services, the contracts for the fumigation of the two (2) offices were awarded at the cost of N2, 495,550.00 and N2, 071,000.00 respectively. Additionally the exercise was carried out twice a year by the Company at the above mentioned cost.
Similarly contrary to their false claim that the Wuse Zone 5 office was painted for N30 million, the contract included painting of the interior/exterior of the building, asphalting and re-roofing of the entire building and was awarded after obtaining due process no objection from the Bureau for Public Procurement and approval of the Management Tenders Committee.
➢ Approval for the procurement of server above the threshold of the Commission’s Tenders Board
Contrary to the falsehood being spread by AUPCTRE, the contract for the procurement of servers was duly approved by the Ministerial Tenders Board after a letter of no objection was issued by the Bureau for Public Procurement.
➢ Infiltration and Dissolution of the Union
It is clear from all the foregoing that all the allegations made by the Former Union are baseless and motivated by self-interest of some few officials of ex-Union.
The General public may also wish to note that by the decision of the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Suits Nos. NICN/ABJ/125/2019 and NICN/ABJ/103/2019, the Courts have ruled that AUPCTRE is a Junior Staff Union. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment had long before the judgment advised the Standard Organization of Nigeria of that position by its letter dated 27th June, 2018. On the 27th of May, 2021, the NIC reaffirmed its 2019 judgment to the effect that AUPCTRE cannot unionize senior staff in Public/Statutory Corporations.
In compliance with the Court Order and the position of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Management withdrew its recognition of the leadership of the AUPCTRE Local Chapter in the Commission because it comprised only of senior staff contrary to the decision of the court.
Junior staff have been advised to elect new leadership for the Branch. A group of senior staff have since joined the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies which is the only recognized Union for senior staff.
Conclusion:
The CAC is fully committed to the anti-corruption war of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and will not in any way be party to corrupt practices.
The CAC will continue to work hard to achieve the objectives for which it was established to the satisfaction of its customers and stakeholders. The Commission will not be distracted by mischief makers who are bent on running the Commission down.
DUKE UKAGA,
DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
18/6/2021