SaharaReporters learnt on Sunday that the former minister’s trip along with the delegation that travelled with him, ended up as an absolute waste of public funds.
Dr Chris Ngige attended the 2023 International Labour Conference on the last day with a large delegation and ended up doing nothing, as he had left office as the Minister of Labour and Employment.
SaharaReporters learnt on Sunday that the former minister’s trip along with the delegation that travelled with him, ended up as an absolute waste of public funds.
Ngige was one of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministers, whose tenure ended in May with that of Buhari.
Ngige was named minister by President Buhari on November 11, 2015, and reappointed in 2019.
SaharaReporters learnt that despite having left office in May, Ngige chose to attend the 111th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland with a large delegation even when the Nigerian Ambassador to the European country had already been billed to represent Africa’s most populous country at the global event.
Aside from attending the event with a large delegation as an ex-minister, sources told SaharaReporters that Ngige got to Geneva on the last day and did nothing, thereby wasting public funds on the trip.
SaharaReporters could not get the amount of public funds that Ngige and the delegation expended on the trip but it was learnt that the trip had been approved before Buhari’s exit from office on May 29.
“Ngige arrived in Geneva on the last day of the 111th International Labour Conference with a large delegation. He arrived on the last day of the conference to do nothing, wasting public funds. Imagine this? Even journalists at the conference were embarrassed because he had no business there.
“It was claimed that Buhari approved for him to lead Nigeria’s delegation. Just imagine how much public funds were wasted on the trip in dollars,” one of the sources said.
“The former minister arrived in Geneva on June 16, the last day of the 111th International Labor Conference with his large delegation to do nothing as he had no business there.
“Our Ambassador to Switzerland duly represented Nigeria as the elected Chairperson of the conference. It is the first time an ex-minister has gone to the ILC as part of the government delegation. Usually, all government officials going to the conference require presidential approval. It is the tradition,” another source said.
The International Labour Organization held its 111th annual Conference in Geneva from June 5-16, 2023.
At the event, worker, employer and government delegates from the ILO's 187 Member States addressed a wide range of issues, including a just transition towards sustainable and inclusive economies, quality apprenticeships, and labour protection.
The International Labour Conference closed with the adoption of a new recommendation on quality apprenticeships. Delegates also passed resolutions on a just transition and labour protection, as well as adopting the standards report and the programme and budget, and a resolution on Belarus.