The Minister argued that financial corruption to the tune of N62, 358,401,927.80 in an agency set up as a critical pivot for the welfare of workers and employers was such that no responsible government would successfully tackle without unearthing the root causes. He maintained that this was the reason for setting up an inter-agency administrative inquiry notwithstanding the criminal investigation and prosecution of some of the accused persons by the EFCC.  He added that the fact that former board members as well as some staff of the agency were involved in the orgy of looting made a thorough cleansing of the organization before inaugurating a new board mandatory. According to him “a new wine cannot be put in an old wine skin. Now that the panel is done with its work, inaugurating a new board will come soon.”

He also cleared the air on the fate of some staff members who were sent on compulsory leave in the wake of the administrative inquiry, assuring that those not indicted by the report would be recalled as soon as possible.