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By Merit Ibe
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSTIF), Lagos office, has enjoined Nigerians to subscribe to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme to benefit from the social welfare/protection scheme provided by the Federal Government, anchored by the trust fund.
The regional manager, Abdul Lateef Musa, made the remark during the celebration to mark this year’s World Safety and Health Day (WSHD) at the workplace themed “A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right at work.”
The NSITF is an agency of the Federal Government saddled with the task of implementing the Employee Compensation Act ( ECA), 2010.
Musa said the World Safety and Health Day, which is celebrated on April 28 every year, is a day set aside by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to promote the prevention of accidents at workplaces.
According to the ILO, about 300,000 fatal work-related accidents occur annually around the world, and about 2.73 million people die from accidents and occupational diseases annually: “These accidents and illnesses cause about 4 per cent decline in global gross domestic product (GDP).
“This huge impact connotes the pains and suffering people experience in the course of earning a living. When safety and health are not given the desired attention, people get killed and injured and this affects them and their families and so it is morally right that both the employees and employers work towards maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.”
Musa encouraged all stakeholders to take action to improve their work environments as an effective way to achieving accident-free workplaces and decent work, generally.
“All member countries are enjoined to include the right to safe and healthy working environment as part of their fundamental national policies,” he said.
On her part, deputy general manager, NSITF, Ms Agboma Okoroafor, reiterated that a safe and healthy working environment was a fundamental principle and right at work. She noted that this year’s theme was in sync with NSITF’s mission, which has been upheld over the years.
She said: “The World Safety Day is an annual celebration set aside for creating awareness towards promoting the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases.
“Health and safety day is a day set aside for the regulations and procedures intended to prevent accident or injury in workplaces or public environments.”
Okoroafor emphasised that the organisation, being one of the stakeholders in organizational safety and health (OSH) environment, seeks to provide social security protection and safety nets for all Nigerians against deprivation and income security, in accordance with ILO conventions and world best practices.
“As Nigeria joins the world over to celebrate the safety day, in like manner, NSITF joins the ILC in reawakening and celebrating organisations that we partner with in ensuring workplace health and safety procedures are emplaced,” she said.
According to the NSITF, the objectives of the Employee Compensation Scheme (ECS), among other things, include provision of an open and fair system of guaranteed and adequate compensation for all insured employees in case of any injury, disease, disabilities or death arising out of or in the course of employment, and also to promote and ensure occupational safety and health standards in workplace.
“As a fallout, therefore, NSITF has a health and safety desk in all its branches in all the states of the federation and the federal capital territory that engages in various health and safety activities such as occupational safety and health (OSH) enlightenment, OSH audits/inspection, accident investigation, etc.
“Apart from preventive activities the fund also engages in rehabilitation exercises, such as vocational rehabilitation, counselling services to dependants of affected workers, while the worker is being rehabilitated and provision of artificial limbs (prosthetics) to several injured employees.
“As at today, the fund has paid over N5 billion in terms of claims and compensation to injured employees. This includes medical expenses, loss of productivity to employers, daily allowances to injured employees, lump sum compensation, etc.”
