Employee compensation takes off

Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu

Succour may start coming the way of injured workers and families of those who lose their lives on duty as the Employees Compensation Scheme (ESC) takes off with the Federal Government’s inauguration of the newly reconstituted Board of Directors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

The Dr. Ngozi Juliet Olejeme-led Board of Directors was inaugurated by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu in Abuja last week.

The Board, which has tripartite representatives of government, organised Labour and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) is saddled with the responsibility of providing social security protection and safety net for Nigerian workers.

Dr Olejeme was the Chairman of the former Board of NSITF which worked towards and ensured the passing of the Employees’ Compensation Act in 2010, after months of public debates by the upper and lower legislature making it one of the fastest bills passed by the National Assembly.

She said the ECS has formally started, following the assent of Mr President to the Scheme in 2010, adding that it is ‘significant to the transformation agenda of Mr President, especially the social safety nets aspect.’

According to her, the centrality of the ECS in the socio-economic matrix and the Industrial relations system to the well-being of the citizenry cannot be overemphasized. In this regard the ECS ‘which guarantees the welfare and wellbeing of the worker in the event of injury or death in the workplace or in the course of work, is a practical demonstration of Mr President’s commitment to the Decent Work Agenda.’

Describing the ECS as an integral part of the new contingencies of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 102, Mrs Olejeme expressed optimism that with the representation of the NLC and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) on the Board, the ‘buy-in of Employers and workers across the broad spectrum of the formal economy will enable successful implementation of the scheme as Nigerian workers are part of a global working class network.’

Thanking Mr President for bringing her back to the helm of affairs of the NSITF and entrusting the team with this responsibility of managing the ECS which is very dear to Mr President’s heart ‘we promise to run an all inclusive and harmonious Board that will create a conducive atmosphere for effective and efficient implementation of the ECS.

Drs Olejeme’s boardroom experience spans twenty years. She was a member of the Board of Ajaokuta Steel Company, and Chairman Board of Trustfund Pensions Plc.

She is also a member of the Justice Belgore Committee to Negotiate with organised Labour on the deregulation of the oil sector and also a member of the Dr Christopher Kolade-led SURE.

She is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, USA. and the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, US.