The full implementation of the Employee Compensation Scheme has been set in motion with reconstitution of a new board of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) by the Federal Government.
Barely three weeks after the new board was inaugurated, management of NSITF last week unveiled its Lagos Corporate Office, an edifice located at the high brow area of Ikeja to drive the scheme. The launching was witnessed by the three social partners comprising employers, government and the organised labour.
NSITF Charge on Objectives
Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, who unveiled the new office, charged the board and management of NSITF to articulate the objectives of the scheme to all Nigerian workers.
He pointed out that achieving the singular objective would not only complement similar social protection schemes of the transformation agenda of President Jonathan, but would also improve and promote social equity and sustainable growth at human development index necessary to stimulate more employment in all sectors of the economy.
Wogu explained that the Federal Government’s commitment to extend social protection coverage to all Nigerian workers is based on the ILO 1994 Philadelphia Declaration.
This states that “All human beings, irrespective of race, creed or sex have the right to pursue both their material wellbeing and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity of economic security and of equal opportunity…To achieve the extension of social security measures to provide a basic income to all in need of such protection and comprehensive medical care’.
He said the government aimed at a zero-tolerance on workplace accidents, injuries and fatalities, and was determined to collaborate with all social partners and other stakeholders to guarantee a cleaner, safer and heather work environment to all Nigerian workers.
He reiterated government’s determination to comply with the specific provisions of Articles 22, 23 and 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which states that ‘Everyone as a member of society, has right to social security” and “Everyone has the right top work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment”.
He explained that the principle of social protection has already been ingrained as part of the government’s resolve to implement the ECS which is already on course.
According to him, the launching of a befitting work environment in the industrialised city of Lagos will provide a safe harbour for workers to promptly access claims whenever the need arises.
“The commissioning of this Corporate Office here in Lagos is significant and historic in many ways. First, it is the first corporate office of the fund after the re-constitution of the Board. It is therefore instructive to note that the extension of social protection floor coverage to workers has gone beyond the level of policy rhetoric to implementation and performance space.
“It is expected that the Fund will bring the benefits of this new ECA to many deserving workers in Lagos State and its environ. Its location here is strategic enough for access to both employers and labour,” Wogu said.
He challenged the board and management of NSITF to hit the street running adding that President Jonathan expects a lot from them. He assured listeners that the ministry would strengthen the industrial relations intelligence services of the inspectorate department of the labour ministry with a view to reducing accidents in workplaces.
The minister expressed government’s determination to collaborate with social partners and other key stakeholders to guarantee a cleaner, safer and heather work environment to Nigerian workers.
To this end, he said the ministry is strengthening its internal units and deepening its intelligence network to ensure that workplace rights of Nigerian workers are not violated or exploited.
According to him, the inspectorate units have commenced visitations to factories to ensure that owners comply with Nigerian law and international best practices and that workers work in a safe environment.
Presentation to Injured Employees
Part of the ceremony was the presentation of a N557,800 cheque to the Director, Human Resources, Cappa and D’Alberto Plc for health care support to injured employees.
The presentation made by the minister, officially signalled the commencement of the scheme. In her remarks, NSITF Board Chairperson, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, said the scheme was a silent revolution that was carefully thought-out and executed by the government in order to ensure that the welfare of Nigerian workers is given top priority.
She particularly commended President Jonathan for approving a take-off grant that will enable NSITF implement the scheme, adding that the president has already issued a directive that the grant be immediately released to drive the project.
“President Jonathan recently approved the immediate re-constitution of the NSITF Board along with the confirmation of appointments of the executive management team so as to ensure that nothing delays the smooth implementation of the scheme. No other scheme, agency or parastatal has received such attention.
“Similarly, no one needs to be convinced further of Mr. President’s concerns and commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers through these actions. These actions of Mr. President have portrayed his commitment in ensuring that the scheme succeeds and that it serves Nigerian workers in the best way possible,” she said.
She explained that the commissioning of the Lagos Corporate office of the fund is a practical demonstration of the NSITF to ensure the immediate and effective implementation of the new scheme.
She said the historical antecedents and contemporary reality of Lagos in the industrial relations practice in Nigeria made it imperative a substantial part of the activities of the fund will be concentrated in Lagos so that the immediate positive impact of the scheme will be felt in thousands of workplaces in the city of excellence.
She said the office would be equipped with appropriate state of the art facilities and infrastructure that would from the onset, drive the scheme just as is being done in other compensation schemes around the globe.
Speaking further, she said the Lagos corporate office will be manned by seasoned, committed and professional staff in order to ameliorate the challenges of workplace accidents, incidents and injuries.
“It will also enable us respond promptly to complaints, claims and enquiries that are always part of schemes of this nature. It will furthermore, be a model on the handling of occupational, safety and health matters in the workplace for other employers to emulate,” she added.
Stakeholders Declaration
In his remarks, Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Dr. Segun Oshinowo, commended the bold initiative of the board and management of the NSITF to set up a befitting administrative environment for the fund in Lagos.
He however challenged the NSITF team to deliver on its mandate to Nigerians, stressing that workers demand nothing less than a first class performance from the fund.
He was optimistic that NSITF has the capacity to achieve first class performance, and pledged the support of NECA towards the success of the scheme.
“NSITF has everything going for it, the goodwill and support of workers, labour unions, the employers and the Federal Government, what we are asking of NSITF today is First Class performance,” Oshinowo said.
President General of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Mr. Peter Esele, who also spoke at the event, commended the board for its achievements within a very short period. He charged the NSITF on quality service delivery stressing that the issue of social security, particularly the implementation of ECS should go beyond rhetoric, policy formulation to efficient and effective implementation of the scheme.
“What we expected to get is service delivery, we ask for commitment and effective service delivery. Anything short of First Class performance will not be accepted to labour,” Esele said. He urged the Federal Government to immediately release the fund allocated for effective take-off of the scheme.
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abdulwaheed Omar, lauded the NSITF for a great feat which he said no other agency of government have been able to achieve. He said the signing into law of the Employee Compensation Act by President Jonathan was an indication that government was committed to the welfare of Nigerian workers.
Omar said the scheme covered the entire population in view of the fact that every Nigerian worker carters for his entire household in addition to extended families.
He charged the labour minister to ensure to concentrate efforts in ensuring that government ministries, agencies and parastatals consistently remit their contributions to the NSITF as at when due.
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