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NSITF, Plateau govt agree for out of court settlement as Fund remits N62m
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund(NSITF) and the Plateau State Government have agreed to withdraw their tax dispute from the Tax Appeal Tribunal and subsequently set up a four-man technical committee to resolve the matter.
The members of the committee include Paul Yakubu and Markus Chollom from the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS) and Kwatmen Mattias as well as Oche Samson of the NSITF. The committee was given a week to deliver on the assignment.
This comes as the NSITF paid the backlog of Pay As You Earn Tax (PAYE) of its regional and branch staff members to the tune of Sixty-two Million Naira (N62,000,000.00) to the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS)
Speaking while receiving the management of the Jos regional and branch offices of the NSITF in his office in Jos, the Executive Chairman of PSIRS, Mr. Jim Pam Waya commended the new management of the Fund for its renewed commitment to clearing the decade-long arrears of PAYE remittances to the state and accepted a request by the fund for an out of court settlement of the dispute which has been lingering at the Tax Appeal Tribunal. He further assured that PSIRS will support the NSITF towards the implementation of the Employee Compensation Scheme(ECS) to the benefit of workers in the state.
He expressed dissatisfaction that PSIRS reneged on its 1% contributions to employee compensation since registering for the scheme in 2012 and assured the NSITF of redress.
“This social security scheme is for the benefit of workers and their dependants in case of accident or death in the course of work. As the new Executive Chairman of PSIRS, my vision is to reposition it by aligning with programmes that promote our primary service to the state in terms of revenue generation as well as key into schemes such as the ECS which will uplift the welfare of our staff.” He stated that PSIRS would revisit its status on ECS and start payment soon.
A statement by Nwachukwu Godson, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, NSITF said that earlier in his address, the Jos Regional Manager of the NSITF, Mr. Martins Kuku called for a working partnership between the two organisations, noting that the NSITF as a responsible social security agency would continue to discharge its responsibilities to the government and workers in Plateau State. He argued it was high time the tax dispute between the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service and the NSITF was resolved.
Kuku said, “ it is at this instance that I seek the support of your organisation for the resolution of the lingering PAYE dispute between the NSITF and the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service in the interest of harmonious and inter agency cooperation.
“The time is here and the right decision is for us to withdraw the dispute from the Tax Appeal Tribunal for an out of the Court settlement in line with the ILO Convention on social dialogue and especially in the background of the exceptional commitment to obligations by our new Managing Director, Barr. Maureen Allagoa.
“ In a demonstrable steadfastness to our paradigm shift, the new leadership of the Fund has cleared the backlog of PAYE remittances amounting to over N62,000,000.00 (sixty-two Million Naira) to the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service, giving us a clean bill up to August 2023.
“A cordial relationship between our two organisations is mutually beneficial as it enhances seamless delivery of our mandates and obligations to the citizens of Nigeria. We are full of hope that the PSIRS which you chair toady, will reciprocate the patriotism of the new NSITF leadership and commence contribution to the employee compensation scheme which was abandoned after registration in 2012.”
Kuku said the NSITF has been paying claims and compensations to different enrolees in the state who properly lodged their cases with verifiable documents.
“We therefore cannot stop asking for the cooperation of government agencies to spread the good news of employee compensation which we are empowered to bring to the door step of the of the Nigerian workers.”
Kuku was accompanied to the visit by Yakubu Huseinni, the Jos Branch Manager of the NSITF, Abubakar Shafiu, Emmanuel Auta Anzaku, Mr. Kwatmen Mathias, Oche Oloche and Nanfa Fatip.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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