The trial of former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, resumed on Wednesday before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwarinpa, Abuja, with two prosecution witnesses testifying that the procurement functions of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) were transferred to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment during his tenure.
Ngige is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and the fraudulent award of contracts valued at N2.26 billion.
During cross-examination by defence counsel, P.I.N. Ikwueto (SAN), the second prosecution witness, Ken Nwagha, a former Acting Managing Director of NSITF, told the court that the former minister informed him verbally that there was a presidential directive authorising the transfer of the agency’s procurement responsibilities to the ministry.
According to Nwagha, no written presidential directive was presented to him at the time.
The prosecution’s position was further supported by the third witness, Onwusoro Maduka Iheamelam, a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), Iheamelam, who previously served as Director of Procurement at NSITF and in several federal ministries, testified that in 2022, Ngige wrote to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, conveying the decision that the ministry would assume the procurement responsibilities of the NSITF.
He told the court that, acting in his capacity as Director of Procurement at NSITF, he subsequently communicated the directive to the agency’s Managing Director on behalf of the Permanent Secretary.
Iheamelam also explained the procurement approval process within government institutions, stating that procurement regulations prescribe different contract approval thresholds for Parastatals Tenders Boards (PTBs) and Ministerial Tenders Boards (MTBs).
According to him, contracts that exceed the approval limit of a parastatal’s tender board are referred to the relevant ministerial tender board for consideration.
The EFCC alleges that Ngige abused his office in connection with contract awards worth N2,261,722,535.84 while serving as Minister of Labour and Employment. The former minister has denied the allegations.
Justice M.A. Hassan adjourned the case until July 2, 2026, for the continuation of trial.