The leadership of the House of Representatives on Monday threatened to drag employers of labour who default in remitting the statutory contribution into the Employee Compensation Scheme to court.
The Speaker, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila issued the threat notice in Abuja, while declaring open the investigative hearing into the non-remittance of contributions into the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) by the Federal, State and Local Governments parastatals, public corporations and companies from 2010 to date.
The House also threatened to prosecute all employers who forged documents including receipts and certificates issued by the Fund.
Honourable Gbajabiamila who was represented by Majority Leader, Honourable Alhassan Ado Doguwa, frowned at the poor representation of chief executive officers of various organizations invited.
According to him, “It follows, therefore, that failure to comply with the requirement of law in this matter is an act of sabotage against the interests of the Nigerian worker, and that is unacceptable. When, as is evidently the case, government institutions themselves also fail to meet their obligations in this regard, it evidences a glaring repudiation of the government’s constitutional obligation to serve the security and welfare of the people.
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“The mandate of this committee is therefore simply to identify what factors may be mitigating against full compliance with the requirements of the law in this instance, and to make recommendations thereto on what we in the House of Representatives can do to achieve full compliance, and properly penalize those who refuse to do what is required of them, whether they’re government institutions or private enterprises. If it requires that we amend the law, we will do so.
“If it requires that we work with the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to improve on the internal regulatory framework, we will do that too. One thing is for certain, we will make sure that the rights of the Nigerian worker are respected and their interests, protected.
“I enjoin the Committee to be meticulous and diligent in this assignment, and to deliver a report to the House of Representatives within the shortest possible time so that we can begin to act in whatever capacity is required of us.”
According to International Labour Organisation (ILO), about 6,000 deaths are reported daily worldwide as a result of work-related accidents and over 340 million occupational accidents annually, while in Nigeria, the coal and petroleum sectors produced the highest case of fatality per injured person which is about 16.6 per cent compared to 5.9 per cent amongst woodworkers.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Honourable Sada Soli frowned at the lackadaisical attitude of employers at both public and private sectors toward the well-being of their employees.
While reiterating the resolve of the House towards ending the menace, Honourable Soli explained that the Ad-hoc Committee will ensure that all defaulters comply with the Employee Compensation Act without further delay.
He specifically tasked all multinational companies including Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to pay all outstanding dues to NSITF in line with the provisions of the Employee Compensation Scheme otherwise face prosecution.
According to him, “the fact that government and all its agencies are guilty of this laxity, is capable of giving the impression that we do not prioritize the social security and welfare scheme that provides comprehensive compensation to workers who suffer from occupational diseases or sustained injuries arising from accidents at workplace or in the course of employment.
“We must begin to show more compassion towards the fate of our workers, especially in their weakest moments. We must remember that the whole idea behind the NSITF was to ensure that workers were not abandoned during the most vulnerable period of their lives when they could no longer look after themselves or their families”.
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