The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita has refuted claims making round the social media that 16billion Naira is missing from her office.
Mrs Oyo-Ita made the clarification while briefing Journalists on the sideline of the meeting on the Review of the Public Service rules, in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Head of Service said whoever is responsible for the story, does not understand how the Group Life Insurance Scheme works.
According to her, The Group Life Insurance Scheme was set up to ensure that government meets up with the benefits of any civil or public servant who losses their lives in the cause of their duties.
“And this Group Life is a policy that is carried out with underwriters who are being regulated by the National Insurance Commission and the Commission also regulates Premiums that are paid to this underwriters”.
The last Group Life programme was actually handled by a subcommittee of cabinet checked by the former Finance Minister and the report was submitted and approved” She said.
She noted that the funds for the programme are always domiciled at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
“the only thing that the Office of the Head of Service does is to compile the names of the Agencies, Parastatals and Ministries that are to be under the Group Life Committee after which we write to the Accountant General ensuring that these underwriters are being approved and regulated by National Insurance Commission. It is the Office of the Accountant General that makes direct payment to the underwriters and as at today, nothing of that nature has been paid from the Office of the Accountant General” she emphasised.
She said that the delay in payment is occasioned by the National Insurance Commission which must give a clearance before any payment is made.
“Once that clearance is given, the Office of the Head of Service will write to the Accountant General’s Office to give the names of those that have been cleared and they go ahead for payment to be made to the underwriters”.
Mrs Oyo-Ita said it was strange to her to say that such Money was missing in her office because there was never a time money was given to the Office of the Head of Service to pay Group Life.
Source: von
