NSITF restores hope, dignity to injured workers

…Supports 10 with prosthetic limbs

From Bimbola Oyesola

Managing director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr. Oluwaseun Faleye, has said the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) is restoring hope, dignity and confidence to Nigerian workers who suffer injuries in the course of their duties.

Faleye stated this in Abuja during the presentation of prosthetic limbs to 10 beneficiaries under the scheme, describing the intervention as a lifeline for workers battling the physical and emotional consequences of workplace accidents.

Represented at the event by the General Manager, Claims and Compensation, Mrs. Nkiru Ogunnike, the NSITF boss said the scheme had continued to put smiles on the faces of injured workers by supporting their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

According to him, the Employees’ Compensation Scheme goes beyond the payment of statutory compensation and reflects a humane commitment to restoring confidence and preserving the dignity of workers affected by occupational hazards.

“Workplace accidents do not only leave physical scars; they often come with emotional trauma and uncertainty about the future,” Faleye said. “For many Nigerian workers, a single incident at work can permanently alter the course of their lives.”

He, however, stressed that the intervention of the NSITF through the ECS provides victims with a second chance to rebuild their lives, regain independence and return to society with renewed confidence.

Faleye cited the cases of two beneficiaries — Daniel Etim, a staff member of the University of Uyo Printing Press, and Festus Okpara of Tower Aluminium Laos — as practical examples of the impact of the compensation scheme.

He explained that Daniel lost his arm in May 2024 after it became trapped in an industrial machine during a routine workday, an accident that eventually led to amputation.

“Through the intervention of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund as administrators of the ECS, Daniel received medical support, with his treatment expenses fully covered under the scheme,” Faleye stated.

He added: “Beyond the payment of medical bills, the Fund extended further rehabilitative support by providing him with a prosthetic arm, reaffirming its commitment not only to compensation but also to restoring dignity, confidence and functionality to injured workers.”

The NSITF boss said Daniel’s experience underscored the broader mandate of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme as a social protection mechanism designed to ensure that Nigerian workers who suffer workplace injuries, disabilities, occupational diseases or even death are not abandoned in moments of vulnerability.

Faleye also recounted the story of Festus Okpara, whose workplace accident occurred in 2015 and resulted in the loss of his hand.

According to him, beyond the physical pain, Festus endured years of emotional trauma, public attention and pitying stares that made social interactions difficult.

“NSITF provided Festus with a silicone prosthetic hand, helping him regain not only physical confidence but also a renewed sense of inclusion and self-worth,” he said.

Expressing appreciation for the intervention, Okpara said the prosthetic hand had significantly reduced the emotional burden caused by the accident.

“I thank NSITF for coming all this way to help. At least with this, I can go out in public and feel free. NSITF has reduced the level of trauma,” he said.

Faleye maintained that interventions such as those offered to Daniel and Festus highlight the critical role of the NSITF in implementing the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, which he described as a vital safety net for workers in both the public and private sectors.

He noted that the stories of the beneficiaries revealed a frequently overlooked aspect of workplace injuries — the psychological and emotional scars that often persist long after physical wounds have healed.

The NSITF chief further stated that for beneficiaries like Daniel and Festus, the intervention of the Fund represented more than institutional obligation, describing it as “hope, restoration and reassurance that injured workers are not left to navigate tragedy alone.”

The 10 beneficiaries presented with prosthetic limbs are among 78 injured workers recently fitted with artificial limbs under the ongoing rehabilitation and reintegration programme of the NSITF.