Minister orders Abuja investment management to refund N46m salary
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Muhammad Musa Bello has directed the seven-man interim management team of the Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL) to refund two months’ salary they collected and reinstate four staff they sacked, about two months after Daily Trust exclusively reported the salary and dismissal scandal.
On July 31, this newspaper reported how the AICL interim management approved for themselves huge salaries running into millions without approval from the minister, as well as the sacking of four staff of the agency for allegedly leaking their payroll.
After the publication of the story, the interim management team headed by Dr Bashir Isiyaku wrote to the Daily Trust threatening legal action if the story was not retracted.
Confirming Daily Trust story, however, the FCT minister directed the caretaker team to refund the two months’ salary they drew via a letter dated August 29, 2017, signed on behalf of the minister by Amina Abubakar, Director, Human Resource Management; and addressed to each member of the interim management team.
Contrary to the interim management’s claim, the minister said their appointment was not permanent and that the members were only entitled to N500,000 consolidated monthly allowance each.
Official documents analysed by this newspaper revealed that the seven members of the IMT were paid a total of N23.3 million as salary for June.
The breakdown of the Abuja investments company staff salary schedule for the month of June shows that Dr Isyaku was paid N5.2 million as his June salary; four other members: Kene Nwanegbo, Garba Sani, Babangida Bashir and Mrs Omobolanle O. W. Olatunde, drew N3.4million each, while Mrs Maryam Onusaba Gomina and Arc. Ramalan Ahmed Umar, on secondment from FCTA, were paid N2.4 million each.
The remaining staff of the company, numbering about 60 drew about N8million as salary for the month, according to the official documents.
The letter titled: “Re: Letter of appointment as a member of the 7-man Interim Management Team of Abuja Investment Company Ltd. (ACIL)” obtained by this newspaper reads: “I am directed to refer to the letter of appointment issued to you Ref. PS/FCTA/387 dated 19th May 2017 in respect of the above-mentioned subject. (Copy attached).
“As a result of the issues that have arisen with respect to your assignment at the AICL, it is necessary to make the following clarifications: (i) The assignment is ad-hoc in nature meant to serve as a stop-gap arrangement in view of the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) investigation of the management team of the company and the absence of a Board of Directors.
“(ii) The assignment was not meant to be permanent and indeed the interim Management Team is not a replacement of the management of the company and certainly there was not an intention for the Interim Management Team to earn remuneration equivalent to what is being earned by the management of AICL or its staff, As an Ad-Hoc Team, issues of payable allowances are treated according to extant regulations.
“(iii) The five-point terms of reference indicated in the letter referred to above clearly indicated what was expected of the team,” the letter said.
“In view of the above; I wish to convey to you the following: (i) The Interim Management Team is an adhoc team for an initial period of six (6) months effective from 19th May 2017.
“(ii) During the period of the assignment, you would be entitled to a consolidated payment of N500,000.00 per month with effect from 19th May 2017. You should, therefore, refund the May 2017 salary arrears and June 2017 salary you collected either through monthly deductions from your approved consolidated payment or pay directly into the bank account of AICL and present evidence of refund to the FCTA.
“(iii) Your Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) should be that of a Director (GL 17) in the Federal Civil Service.”
The letter added that “During the course of this assignment, the Team would be expected to submit periodic reports on the AICL and its subsidiaries to the Honourable Minister, FCT.”
On the reinstatement of the staff, the head of the interim management team Dr Isiyaku announced the reinstatement in an internal memo, titled “Reinstatement of four staff whose appointments were terminated,” and dated August 31, 2017.
“The Honourable Minister, FCT has directed that the following persons whose appointments were terminated by the IMT should be recalled immediately: Beatrice Ibol, Idris I. Idris, Maryam S. Mohamed and Isa S. Bawa,” according to the memo addressed to IMT member (Corporate Services).
Dr Isiyaku added that “the minister has also directed that they should be paid all salaries and allowances. Please act accordingly.”
On the same day, IMT member in charge of Corporate Services, Mrs Omobolanle Olatunde wrote the fouraffected staff individually, asking them to resume work immediately.
The crisis started at AICL just two months after the management of the company was sacked over corruption allegations.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammed Musa Bello, on May 22, 2017, sacked the Dr Musa Ahmed Musa - led management of the AICL for alleged stealing and corrupt practices which were being investigated by the EFCC.
On May 19, 2017, the FCT minister inaugurated a seven-man interim management team headed by Dr Bashir Isyaku, to oversee the affairs of the company pending the outcome of the EFCC investigation.
The interim management sacked four staff of the company in the belief that they were the whistleblowers that leaked the payroll to a civil society group that petitioned the FCT minister over the matter.
The petition dated July 5, 2017, and signed by Gimba Paul on behalf of Concerned FCT Citizens, addressed to the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, accused the IMT members of paying themselves “bogus and unrealistic salary,” “hiring and firing,” among other financial infractions.
The petitioners argued that even when the former management of the company was in place the total salary of the company was not more than N15million.
Daily Trust investigations have shown that two days after the FCT minister received the petition; Dr Isyaku sacked four staff of the company believing that they were behind the leaked pay slip which formed the content of the petition.
Narrating their ordeal in a letter to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, dated July 11, 2017, the four-dismissed staff appealed for “intervention in a case of wrongful termination of employment” without following due process.