TheCable

Sam Abubakar, president of the Agenda for New Nigeria (ANN), a watchdog and non-profit organisation, has commended Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, director-general of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for “fighting corruption” in the organisation.

Abubakar said ITF has recorded notable progress in the last two years that Chukkas-Onaeko has presided over the organisation.

Citing instances where the head of the agency uncovered a N14 million shady deal, and how she also helped the organisation save N400 million, he said the plot to frustrate Chukkas-Onaeko would fail.

“We are confident in the fact that no one of sane mind, who has been following the leadership of Chukkas-Onaeko at ITF and the degree of transparency with which she has held down so far would reckon with the swirling insanity in some of the unscrupulous news platforms lately,” he said in a statement.

“The issue of the 400 illegally employed staff was not even her call as it had been done and concluded before she assumed office in 2014.

“The property they claimed was inflated had been in the works for over three years, obviously for same reason and at a cost she could not relate with until she came and saved the organisation of some N400 million before the deal pulled through.

“Although they did not specify, however, allegations of being fingered in scam cannot exist in a vacuum and we are yet to lay our hands on any. But here is a DG, who noticed a curious transaction to the tune of N14 million by a staff, when it should have been N4 million and ordered the entire process cancelled immediately.

“What this presupposes is that if she could weigh in heavily on a N14 million curious transaction you can be sure you would not find her anywhere near the billions they are peddling.”

He warned those bent on frustrating Chukas-Onaeko to desist or risk being exposed.

“This is why we are using this medium to warn those, who are clandestinely behind this mindless attack and preconceived character assassination of an innocent woman,” the statement read.

“It is in their interest and that of their career to desist from further attacking the innocent because the next time we come across any such attacks, we shall react by mentioning names and positions as well as what role is being played by who.

“It is only a people, who are averse to change and determined to retain a stinking status quo of squalor and underdevelopment that would go all out against an otherwise innocent, innovative and hard working woman.”