NSITF, NLC squable over Abuja land allocation

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the management of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) on Friday locked horns over a plot of land allocated by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

While NSITF claimed it lost the documents of the land allocation with the Plot Numbers MISC 54707 and MISC 54824 respectively, the NLC said the agency is ignorant of how things are done regarding land allocation.

The Managing Director of the NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye, in an advertorial published in two national dailies on Thursday claimed his agency lost the Certificate of Occupancy, Power of Attorney and Deed of Assignment for the plots.

Faleye urged the Department of Land Administration, FCTA and the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) to issue Certified True Copies (CTC) or re-issue replacement processes or documents in favour of his agency.

The NSITF boss went to appeal to FCT authorities vested with the powers of issuing documents about land allocation in the nation’s capital not to deal with anyone who may be in possession of the said original title documents.

In response to the NSITF’s claims, President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, described Faleye’s claims as “mischievous or utterly ridiculous, an act of sheer ignorance,” arguing that the plots belong to the NLC.

Ajaero said, “We find this publication as mischievous or utterly ridiculous or hopefully, an act of sheer ignorance because the aforesaid plots of land have always belonged to the Nigeria Labour Congress, and will continue to belong to the Nigeria Labour Congress.

“Coupled with this, the Congress has been in possession of the aforesaid plots of land. In a few words, therefore, both the proprietary and possessory rights on, over and about those plots reside with the Nigeria Labour Congress.

“It is trite knowledge that one cannot claim loss or issue loss notice over that which one has neither possesory nor proprietary right.

“Accordingly, NSITF is advised to withdraw this notice. We are neither pressing charges nor asking for damages for the embarrassment this public notice has caused us for now.

“NSITF is equally advised to consult the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trust Fund Pensions for the true position of the aforesaid plots of land,” the labour leader said.

Ajaero, however, called on the general public, FCTA, AGIS and other relevant authorities to ignore what he described as baseless notice by the NSITF.

However, in a terse statement signed by its management, the organisation said it stood by its publications.

The statement reads, “The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has taken note of the press release issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in reaction to our recent publication relating to plots referenced under file numbers MISC 54707 and MISC 54824.

“The Fund reaffirms its position as stated in its previous publication and maintains full confidence that the appropriate authorities will resolve the matter in accordance with the law.”

. NATION