The committee set up to review the 2013 Draft Regulation to the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010 has submitted its report.
The exercise was in line with the recent promise by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong to “unbundle the agency for effectiveness.”
Receiving the report of the committee mandated to formulate a workable general regulation to enable the Nigeria Social Industrial Trust Fund(NSITF) achieve the objectives of the Act, NSITF Managing Director, Maureen Allagoa, said “the review of the draft regulation, made in 2013, could not have come at a better time in view of the dynamism of the fund’s ecosystem, including its operating procedures and diverse publics.
“The NSITF as a cardinal social security agency must align with the global best practices in view of the changing indices in the world of work and in tune with the cardinal place the workers occupy in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
“If we recall the Federal Government Circular on the commencement of the mandatory contributions of 1% of the emoluments of all public servants to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, which broadens our operational scope and throws up new challenges, you will agree this review could not have come at a better time.
“Our commitment to the welfare of workers wherever they may be, in the formal or informal sector will suffer a setback if the regulations through which we administer employee compensation is left to get moribund in a society with unrelenting changes.
“I’m therefore pleased that this committee which I set up on August 9, 2023, concluded its assignment with dispatch. What we have now is a working document which will be submitted to another committee to be set up, comprising representatives from the tripartite labour community.
“The outcome in consonance with Section 64 of our establishing Act will be forwarded to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment for consideration by the Federal Executive Council before issuance and gazetting by the Federal Ministry of Justice.”
The committee, which was chaired by the Fund’s General Manager(Legal) Innocent Eremionkhale, worked with memoranda from all regions and branches, ECS Act 2010, NSITF Regulation 2013, directives of NSITF Board as well as its manual and policies.
It recommended among others, an express recognition to the informal sector and digitisation of the NSITF.
It additionally made a new provision for the assessment of various classes of industries as well as the duration of compensation for classes of beneficiaries.
It equally introduced interim compliance certificate, administrative fees, other charges in addition to the principle of No Contribution, No Claim and No compensation.
