FG summons NASS staff union excos over alleged N3Billion fraud

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has summoned top officials and concerned members of the National Assembly chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) over a serious allegation of N3 billion fraud.

This move follows a petition accusing PASAN leaders of financial misconduct and is set to be addressed in a meeting tomorrow.

The official letter of invitation, signed by Amos Falonipe, the Director/Registrar of the Department of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, represents a response from the ministry to address complaints from PASAN members. The letter, dated October 25, 2024, is titled “Re: Petition Against the Misappropriation of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, National Assembly chapter and Threats of Suspension of Members.”

This controversy initially erupted after PASAN member Yusuf Abiola held a press briefing in Abuja, publicly accusing the PASAN executives of mismanaging union funds totaling N3 billion. Abiola, representing other concerned members, demanded an audited financial report covering 2019 to the present and threatened to escalate the issue if it remained unresolved.

In response, PASAN National Assembly chapter chairman, Sunday Sabiyyi, and Secretary David Ann Ebizimoh dismissed the allegations as “baseless and defamatory.” Sabiyyi urged members and the public to disregard these accusations, labeling them as attempts to disrupt the union.

The Ministry of Labour’s involvement signals a critical point in the dispute, as PASAN leadership may now face an official investigation into their financial practices, sparking widespread anticipation of the meeting’s outcome.