THE Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has said payment of claims and compensations does not measure the successes of the organisation, noting that the prevention of accidents was the first process in employees’ compensation.
Managing Director of the NSITF, Maureen Allagoa, stated this during a visit by the Nigeria Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Allagoa, who was represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Investment, NSITF, Adegoke Adediji, said the successes of the agency cannot be measured by the amount paid as claims and compensations alone because effective occupational safety and health (OSH) programmes slow down workplace accidents.
A statement by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, NSIFT, Nwachukwu Godson, quoted Allagoa as saying, “The prevention of accidents through robust occupational safety and health(OSH) programmes is the first step in the processes of employees’ compensation. The payment of claims and compensations is therefore inversely proportional to this.
“Measuring the progress of the NSITF by the number of claims and compensations paid is a very poor grasp of our mandate and operations. By ECA 2010, occupational safety and health is in inverse proportion to claims and compensations. When the occupational safety and health programmes (OSH) are top notch and producing results, the rate of workplace accidents that trigger claims and compensations declines. When OSH is not active, the reverse becomes the case.
“A well-managed NSITF primarily seeks the reduction of workplace accidents. This is the first step our management takes through a robust pursuit of occupational safety and health programmes. But if accident occurs, we follow up with rehabilitation, then payment of claims and compensations where necessary.
“And the NSITF has been discharging all obligations on the payment of compensations to employees and their dependents for death, injury and disability arising out of or in the course of employment. We rehabilitate those who suffer workplace disabilities.
“In fact, we have a case in hand where we have paid close to N70 million at N1.3 million every month and another where the fund pays about N1.5 million every month and will continue paying till the last child is 21 years of age.
“But while we do this, we intensify accident prevention programmes, even collaborating with other agencies and relevant stakeholders to emplace occupational safety and health (OSH) standards in all workplaces enrolled with the fund. This is the charge of our active OSH department in our 57 branches and 12 regions across the country.”
Allagoa affirmed that the current management has a clear road map for the future of the NSITF, stating that the agency was changing with the times in terms of rules and operations.
She, however, insisted that NSITF’s tripartite stakeholders are involved in all major administrative decisions, including the recent introduction of fees for fresh registration and for compliance certificates.
Allagoa further assured the council that the NSITF would consider its request for collaboration, adding that both organisations have similar roles in the world of work.
President of NCRIB, Babatunde Oguntade, commended the NSITF for expanding the reach of social security services in the country.
While stating that the visit was to seek areas of partnership and collaboration between the NSITF and a vibrant community of registered insurance brokers across the federation, Oguntade said the two organisations have a common goal of securing the social security and wellbeing of all Nigerians.
He said, “We must mention that the NSITF has done very well. Your operations are getting noticed and people are beginning to see the need to comply with you and understand the essence of employees’ compensation in the life of workers.
“What we bring on board is collaboration. We are far reaching. We have over 600 corporate bodies. We have over 15,000 members. We can collaborate and bring more companies, more money. But you propose a certain percentage we can earn by helping to do the work.
“We can bring in an aggregate of 30 to 50,000 small corporate; they don’t have to be limited. Everybody suffers the risk of disability once you have an employee, even if it is a two-member employee.
“More SMEs are coming up. The large corporates are things of the past; they will continue to dwindle except in government agencies. The small corporates are coming up. We will collaborate in this area. Bring brokers on board and we will help you straighten the rough edges and bring in more SMEs into the net.”
Meanwhile, the Kano State Government has declared its commitment to the welfare of the state’s workforce and citizenry.
The Kano State Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Musa, stated this while receiving an advocacy team from the Kano branch of the NSITF led by Haruna Mohammed.
While noting that the ECS would further strengthen a range of social security benefits that Kano extends to her people, Musa assured that the state would key into the scheme as well as make the ECS compliance certificate mandatory for contract bidders.
The Head of Service, who received the NSITF team in the company of the Permanent Secretary Establishment, Mohammed Jalo; Permanent Secretary, Salaries and Wages, Ibrahim Boyi and the Director, Administration and General Services, Umma Dallat, further requested a detailed proposition to enable the state government to take a position at the earliest date.
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