The Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, says it has uncovered monumental salary fraud in the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
The umbrella body of Igbo youth organisation said this in a statement made available to journalists on Friday, signed by its national president, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike.
This is coming amid concerns over the state of the federal government-owned facility.
According to him, the latest discovery was one of the many alleged heists going on in the company.
Okwu disclosed that a preliminary investigation carried out showed that there was a high level corruption within the company's staff recruitment process.
Ohanaeze youths said, “in our continuous drive to expose the economic sabotage and high level corruption in the Ajaokuta Steel Company, we beamed a searchlight on the company’s employment process.
“To our greatest chagrin, findings showed that staff members are not paid the same amount as outline in their appointment letters.
“One of such irregularities is the case of one of the staff members who was recruited as “Graduate Manpower”, and placed under N100,000 (One hundred thousand Naira) monthly salary. However, shockingly, the staff member receives N18,000 (Eighteen thousand Naira) as monthly salary, leaving a deficit of N82,000 (Eighty two thousand Naira).
“Another heartbreaking case is that of another staff member, who was also recruited as ‘Graduate Manpower’, with the proviso that he had been placed on GL 8/4 basis salary. The staff had also been receiving N18,000 as monthly salary.
“This is just a tip of what the anomalies going on at the Ajaokuta Steel Company, and to worsen matters, instead of engaging staff directly, the appointment states that “we are pleased to inform you that you have been engaged as Graduate Manpower under M/s Hamdan International Limited, with contract order (Number withheld) with Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.
"Why should a third party be involved in the employment and salary payment of staff working in Ajaokuta Steel Company?
“We ask again- who are those taking undue advantage of hapless Nigerians? Who are those perpetuating this fraud against humanity?
“This must not be allowed to continue. We urge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the ICPC to immediately initiate a probe of the recruitment process and salary payment in the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
“The anti-graft commission should do well to demand appointment letters of staff members and juxtapose it with their monthly earnings as would be shown in their respective statements of accounts.”
The youth leader said the group remained committed to the realization of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda “and would not stand by and watch anyone jeopardise the interest of the youth population.
“The youths are most affected whenever it comes to issues of employment and this is why we won’t rest until all those behind these acts are brought to book.”
The group also demanded "absolute disclosure of the partnership agreement of the company with the consortia.
"Nigerians are fed up with shaddy agreements like that of Mambilla Hydropower, which was trapped by mischievous consortium partners. Nigerians deserve to know what is being signed.
"The agreement on Ajaokuta Steel Company should be between the Federal Government and the consortium. No more middlemen in the process of the agreement."