THE Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, has inaugurated the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) with a clear mandate to members of the board to provide social security protection and safety nets for all Nigerians against deprivations and income insecurity in accordance with national, international laws, conventions and world best practice.

To achieve this, the challenge before the board is to ensure effective implementation and administration of the Employee Compensation Act 2010.

The Employee Compensation Act (ECA), 2012 which replaces the Workmen’s Compensation Act, CAP 470, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 has elaborated provisions for payment of cash and non-cash compensation to all employees both in the public and private sectors who suffer from occupational diseases or sustain injuries from accident at workplace or in the course of employment.

According to Chief Wogu, the scheme is designed to cover all persons captured in the definition of employee in the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010; except members of the Armed Forces, adding that the employee, under the scheme includes self employed, part time, temporary and casual workers.

The minister said the inauguration of the NSITF Board based on its timely approval by President Goodluck Jonathan, underscored the high premium the present administration placed on the social security of all Nigeria workers, especially those in the informal sector,

He noted that workers’ welfare was an essential component of President Jonathan Transformation Agenda which is pro-people, designed to respond to the collective yearning and hopes of good life of all Nigerians.

He said the quick inauguration of the board was also aimed at assisting and protecting the vulnerable group and those living at the margin of society through the social safety net it offered and hence progressively walking Nigerians out of poverty.

Chief Wogu said the NSITF had been transformed and repositioned to “be a leading social security institution in Nigeria and indeed Africa, setting the agenda for change, social policy, economic empowerment and poverty alleviation in Nigeria.”

He said the uniqueness of this social security scheme from other schemes was the fact that it was funded through only employers’ contributions of 1 per cent of employers pay roll to be paid on behalf of their employees as pure social responsibility.

Describing it as fault-free scheme, the minister explained that the workers does not need to prove contributory negligence and does not contribute to his or her care.