*  Chukkas-Onaeko
The Industrial Training Fund has cleared the air on allegations of high-handedness and corruption levelled against the Director-General, ITF, Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, and the management, saying they are unfounded. 
According to a statement, signed by Mrs Ifeoma Ihezue,  the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Fund, the allegations are calculated strategies to drag the image of the current ITF leadership in the mud without success, which is the reason they have again resorted to instigating a protest.

The ITF, however, gave explanations to all the allegations of the union, pointing out the fallacy in each and drawing the attention of the public to the fact that the ITF had actually, under the current administration, taking the activities of the Fund to an enviable height while striving hard to cut costs.

“We wish to refute the allegation of corruption in its entirety. The present DG has been commended severally for her financial prudence and her objectivity in tackling issues. On several occasions, she had directed for the renegotiation of certain outrageous contracts that were awarded in the past, thereby achieving huge savings for the fund,” the statement said.

On non-remittance of all deductions from salaries from June to date, the statement explained that there had been a backlog due to the implementation of the Treasury Single Account, but that they were now being processed for payment.

“At the moment, virtually all outstanding payments are either being processed or paid.  As a matter of fact, most of the deductions have been remitted as appropriate except for deductions for the months of September and October, 2015 which were affected by TSA.

It also described the allegations of non-payment of Training Contributors’ Reimbursement claims as baseless and mischievous, saying, “The percentage of Reimbursement Claims paid as at October, 2015 is over 82 per cent as against the less than five per cent purported by the unions. 
“In November alone, a total of 175 Company Claim files have been processed for payment in the sum of N1,940,308,119.53, bringing the total amount paid from 2014 to date to N10,441,807,116.52 as shown below. This is the highest ever reimbursed in the history of ITF reimbursement payment and the DG must be commended for this.”

The statement also cleared the air on the issues surrounding the renovation of the ITF Headquarters Complex, noting that “the issue of renovation of the Headquarters Office Complex started about four years ago. An initial contract sum of N420m was pruned down to N248,922,900.00 by the current management which has saved a substantial sum of N171,077,100.00.”

Experts have, however, described the allegation of a transfer of N1.2bn to the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association as a display of ignorance as regards the activities of the ITF, saying that the transfers are annual payments, usually approved by the National Assembly.

“Payment of the sum of N1.2bn to the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association has been ongoing. It was only inherited by the present management. The amount is an annual payment, which is usually approved by the National Assembly. The terms and conditions of this collaboration are contained in a Memorandum of Understanding. Contrary to the claims of the union, 2015 is the only year where no increase was made to the amount appropriated yearly for ITF/NECA,” the statement added.