Oyo-Ita debunks report of missing N16 bn – TheNigerialawyer

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs.
Winifred Oyo-Ita, has debunked reports claiming that N16 billion
meant for Civil Servants Group Life Insurance Scheme (GLIS), was
stolen in her office.

Oyo-Ita spoke on Friday in Abuja at the venue of the
stakeholders’ forum on the review of Public Service Rules
(PSR).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that an online news
publisher, the Leading Reporters Nigeria, had alleged that Oyo-Ita
and others stole N16 billion meant for GLIS.

But Oyo-Ita, who reacted to the allegations while interacting
with newsmen, said that the allegation was false and not worth
reacting to.

“I will not want to address the very fallacious news item making
the rounds as regards N16 billion missing from the GLIS funds.

“I want to say that whoever started that story does not quite
understand how the group life works.

“The GLIS was set up to be able to ensure that government meets
up with benefits of any civil or public servant who, in the process
of doing his work as a civil servant, loses his or her life.

“This GLIS is the policy that is carried out with underwriters;
these underwriters are being regulated by the National Insurance
Commission (NIC),” she explained.

She explained that the NIC regulates premiums that are paid to
these underwriters and the last group life programme was actually
handled by the sub-committee of cabinet chaired by the then
Minister of Finance.

According to her, the report from that sub-committee was
submitted to the Federal Executive Council(FEC), and approval was
given for that programme to be implemented.

“The fund for that programme is always domiciled with the Office
of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

“The only thing that the Head of Service does is to compile the
names of all the Ministries, Department and Agencies(MDAs), that
are to be under the group life policy.

“For someone to say that N16 billion has gone missing in my
office is strange to me and to many others who understand how the
GLIS works.”

On the ongoing PSR, Oyo-Ita said that the process was to ensure
that the operations in the public service reflect the Efficient,
Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-centred (EPIC), culture of
the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP
2020).

According to her, EPIC is one of the eight key priority
initiatives of the strategy which is central and will play critical
role to successful delivery of the goals and objectives of the
other initiatives.

“EPIC was developed for effective implementation of the Economic
Recovery and Growth Plan of the government,” she added.

According to her, the revision of the last plan, which was
inaugurated in 2007 and published in 2008, has become necessary to
update issues in line with the current trends in governance and
global best practice,

Earlier in her remark at the forum, Dr Magdalene Ajani,
Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office, had
said that there was an urgent need to carry out the revision so as
to be in tandem with the contemporary issues around the world.

Also speaking, Mrs. Saidu Mohammed, Vice Chairman, Association
of Senior Civil Servants, Office of HCSF chapter, condemned the
culture of imposing taxes on Nigerians, and listed some taxes to
include housing, transportation, medical, among others, deducted
from the allowances and income of civil servants.

“Such practice is not obtainable anywhere in the world.

“It is because of these deductions that civil servants complain
of poor salary. The review is very handy and this is the very good
time for it,” she said. (NAN)