The Committee set up to review the 2013 Draft Regulation to the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010 has submitted its report.
The exercise tracks with the recent promise by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong to “unbundle the agency for effectiveness.”
Receiving the report of the Committee mandated to formulate a workable general regulation to enable the Fund to achieve the objectives of the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, the Managing Director of the NSITF, Maureen Allagoa, said, “The review of the draft regulation, made in 2013, could not have come at a better time given the dynamism of the fund’s ecosystem, including its operating procedures and diverse publics.”
A statement by the General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Nwachukwu Godson, further quoted the MD as saying, “The NSITF as a cardinal social security agency must align with the global best practices given the changing indices in the world of work and in tune with the cardinal place the workers occupy in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
“If we recall the Federal Government Circular on the commencement of the mandatory contributions of one percent of the emoluments of all public servants to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, which broadens our operational scope and throws up new challenges, you will agree this review could not have come at a better time.
“This again offers me an opportunity to thank the Federal Government as well as allay the fears in some sections of the nation’s workforce that the one percent contributions would be taken from the salaries of workers.
“Nothing of such. The Employees’ Compensation Act 2010 in section 13 (33) states very clearly that every employer, private or public bears the burden of this one per cent of total monthly payroll on behalf of the workers,” Allagoa said.
The Committee was chaired by the Fund’s General Manager, Legal, Barr. Innocent Eremionkhale worked with memoranda from all regions and branches, the ECS Act 2010, NSITF Regulation 2013, directives of the NSITF Board as well as its manual and policies.
It recommended among others, an express recognition of the informal sector and digitisation of the fund. It additionally made a new provision for the assessment of various classes of industries as well as the duration of compensation for classes of beneficiaries.
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It equally introduced interim compliance certificates, administrative fees, and other charges in addition to the principle of ‘no contribution, no claim, and no compensation’.
Other members of the committee included Frances Nwachukwu, Ntiense Akpabio, Dr. Chidiebere Nwagbaso, Udoka Oti, Kemes Innocent, and Jemila Tela.
Meanwhile, in her resolve to avail all Nigerian workers of the elastic benefits of the Employee Compensation Scheme, the Managing Director of the NSITF has appealed to the Rivers State Government to key into the programme.
Allagoa’s call came during the sensitisation visit to the Secretary to the Government of Rivers State, Dr Tammy Wenike-Danagogoin at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Represented by the General Manager of the Port Harcourt Region, Dr. Geoffrey Otokito, Allagoa regretted that Rivers, which is one of the states of the Federation topping the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals was yet to key into the Employees’ Compensation Scheme.
“Employees’ Compensation is a flagship scheme of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, which supports not only the employees but also the employers, through the provision of compensations for work-related injuries or death, rehabilitating accident victims, paying loss of productivity to employers, as well as enlightenment on occupational safety and health to lessen work-related accidents.
“I recall that under the immediate past administration, our then supervising Minister, Senator Chris Ngige made a passionate representation to the former Governor of the state, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike applauded the scheme and promised to decide on the request.
“We are here to consolidate that request and further ask that ECS Compliance Certificate be made a pre-requisite for contractors in Rivers State.”
In his response Wenike-Danagogoin described the NSITF as a partner in the progress of Rivers people, further assuring that he would make a strong case to the Governor over the scheme. He promised that Rivers would seriously consider the request to make the ECS Compliance Certificate mandatory for contractors.
Wenike-Danagogoin, however, demanded an adequate representation of Rivers State in the board of the NSITF to ease the quest for the implementation of Employee Compensation in Rivers.
This according to him, was to ensure that the “interest of Rivers people is well protected.”
The visiting NSITF team which also included Hycinth Chigozie, Unamma Chinwe, Papi Dickson, and Edna Ovih, nevertheless explained to him the composition of the Board of the Fund but assured him that his concern would be related to the headquarters.
“NSITF Board has eleven members – two each from NECA and the Labour centres, a representative of the CBN, Ministry of Labour, in addition to the chairman of the board and four-man EXCO appointed by the President.
