The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) have disagreed over the ownership of two plots of land in Abuja.
The NSITF had issued a public notice claiming that the lands’ documents are missing, but NLC debunked same and insisted that has possession of the original documents.
The management of NSITF had, in a public notice signed by its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oluwaseun Faleye, and published in two national dailies recently, declared that it could no longer find the Certificate of Occupancy, Power of Attorney, and Deed of Assignment relating to Plot Numbers MISC 54707 and MISC 54824.
He claimed the plots were in favour of the NSITF Management Board and warned the public and relevant authorities, including the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS), not to deal with any person in possession of the original documents.
Puncturing the public notice, the NLC described the claim as “mischievous,” “utterly ridiculous,” and possibly a product of “sheer ignorance.”
The NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, in a statement, 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.”
According to him, the NLC is not only the bonafide owner of the controversial land in question but has possession of it.
“In a few words, therefore, both the proprietory and possesory rights on, over and about those plots reside with the Nigeria Labour Congress,” Ajaero declared.
To further puncture NSITF’s claim, Ajaero argued that: “It is trite knowledge that one cannot claim loss or issue loss notice over that which one has neither possessory nor proprietary right.”
The NLC therefore demanded that the NSITF withdraw its public notice, stressing that it was not prepared to pursue any legal redress at the moment: “We are neither pressing charges nor asking for damages for the embarrassment this public notice has caused us for now,” he added.
He warned the NSITF to seek proper clarification from both the Congress and Trustfund Pensions:
““NSITF is equally advised to consult the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trustfund Pensions for the true position of the aforementioned plots of land.”
It called on the general public and all land authorities, including AGIS and the FCTA, to disregard the NSITF’s publication:
“The general public, FCTA, AGIS and other authorities vested with powers on land titling are urged to ignore this notice.”
In a counter-statement signed by its Head of Corporate Affairs, Alexandra Mede, the Fund stated that it 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.
It reaffirmed its earlier position in its previous publication.
