Yemisi Izuora
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) said it will not hesitate to sanction any tertiary institution that is yet to enroll its personnel on the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS).
The Acting Managing Director of the Fund, Ismail Agaka, noted while hosting the management of the University of Abuja in his office that managements of tertiary institutions should register their workers in the Employee Compensation Scheme (ECS) immediately to avoid sanctions.
Agaka noted that the University of Abuja, like many other tertiary institutions in the country, has not registered its workers in the ECS, stressing that this is clearly against the provisions of the law.
He added: “It is in your best interest to enrol because we shall not hesitate to implement sanctions.”
Agaka explained that the benefits of the Scheme include compensation for injuries suffered in the course of work, mental stress arising out of or in the course of the employee’s employment, occupational diseases, provision for vocational rehabilitation and compensation for dependents of an employee who dies in the cause of work.
The Ag. Managing director explained that the ECS does not discriminate against employee status; whether, white or blue collared, saying every Nigerian worker is subjected to different measures of risk, therefore it covers all.
Responding to the submission of the NSITF MD, the leader of the delegation who is the Secretary of Institute of Education, Dr Nurudeen Lawal, said with the benefits of ECS as outlined by Agaka, it is clear that the Scheme is in the best interest of all employees.
While appealing for understanding on the part of NSITF, he explained that the registration into the Scheme has been slow because of bureaucratic bottlenecks in the system. However, he was quick to assure that he would take up the matter with the Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution and get feedback as soon as possible.