The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, (NSITF) has emphasized the need to build and maintain occupational safety and health culture among workers in organizations.
The agency noted that to achieve this, adequate resources should be committed to the creation of robust awareness of risks, hazards, prevention and control.
Regional manager of Lagos regional office, Abdul- Lateef Musa, made the remark during a sensitization programme to celebrate this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at work place themed: “Enhancing social dialogue towards a culture of safety and health.”
According to Musa, the International Labour Organisations (ILO) safety and health convention 1581 calls for adoption of a national Occupational Safety and Health(OSH) policy built through tripartite consultation and discussion with relevant stakeholders.
The stakeholders he said include representatives of government, employers and workers, who need to regularly interface on issues of OSH.
Musa emphasised that work places with positive health and safety culture makes workers feel more comfortable to raise concerns about their challenges and this prompts management to be more proactive in providing solutions to these issues.
He highlighted that NSITF is a federal agency saddled with the task of implementing the employee compensation act ( ECA) 2010 through specialized product called the employee compensation scheme (ECS).
Deputy General Manager Administration Ms Agboma Okoroafor stated that NSITF as one of the stakeholders in organisational safety and health environment (OSH), join hands with other Nigerians and the world over to ensure that the tenets that will ensure safety of workers in the work place are emplaced.
“Note that the NSITF seeks to provide social security protection and safety nets for all Nigerians against deprivation and income security in accordance with ILO Conventions and other world best practices.”
On his part, Alhaji Kamal-deen Olayinka Jimoh, Deputy General Manager (Enforcement), Lagos Corporate Office, noted that the annual event promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
Jimoh enjoined all employers of Labour to key in to the employees compensation scheme ECS warehouse by NSITF, that is designed to provide compensation to workers who may sustain injuries, disability, disease or even death in the cause of work as contained in the employees compensation Act 2010.
“Let’s think safety, let’s act safely.”