ENUGU – The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has urged governments and the organised private sector to participate in the scheme to improve the welfare of their workers.
The Assistant Manager of the fund in Enugu, Mrs Ngozi Ezeh, made the call in Enugu on Monday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the 25th Enugu International Trade Fair.
Ezeh said the fund was set up under the Employees Compensation Act to provide social security for employees who suffered injuries in the course of work or afflicted with occupational diseases contracted at the work place.
She said that it also provided compensation to the next-of-kin of an employee who died at work or in the course of work.
According to her, the social insurance is financed from contributions made by both employers and employees while in employment, sustained through the pooling of risks and finances and benefits in line with the Act.
The NSITF representative stressed the need for governments at all levels and the private sector to embrace the fund in the interest of their employees.
“Employers who are registered with the scheme are expected to pay one per cent of total emoluments or payroll.
“The salaries of workers are not tampered with directly, rather the employer will register them collectively with the fund,’’ she said.
Ezeh said the fund was at the fair to sensitise the public, especially employers, on its role and the need for them to register with it.
She said the fund had handled six cases from the organised private sector in Enugu State.
The representative regretted that many governments and their agencies, especially at the local and state levels, had not joined the scheme.
The manager said the scheme was an empowerment and poverty alleviation programme of the government. (NAN)
