13062019 - Politicians, religious leaders fueling insecurity — BUHARI

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019— 37
08052202308 (sms only)
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
SINCE the take-off of the
Employees’ Compensation
Scheme, ECS, in 2011, following
the Employees’ Compensation
Act, ECA, of 2010, the
scheme until recently, had been
suffering from a familiar disease
of “motion without movement”
basically linked to inefficient, ineffective
and to a greater degree,
self-centered management.
Arguably, the scheme being
managed by the Nigeria Social
Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF,
before the controversial replacement
of Chief Frank Kokori as
Chairman of the board in April
by the immediate past Minister
of Labour and Employment,
Senator Chris Ngige, elevated
NSITF and the scheme to national
discourse, nothing much
was heard about the scheme or
the fund.
Under the ECS, NSITF is essentially
to promote social security
services to the Nigerian
workers, relying on ECA that was
signed into law on December 17,
2010 by then President
Goodluck Jonathan,
ECS provides social security
for employees who sustain injuries
in the course of employment,
or their dependants in case
of death and encourages occupational
safety and health standards
in the workplace.
Among others, the scheme covers
compensation for injuries,
Employers gang up against ECS
•Risk imprisonment for non-compliance
*From left: General Manager Administration, Mr. Segun
Bashorun, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Adebayo
Somefun, and another official of Nigeria Social Insurance
Trust Fund, NSITF, at a programme in Lagos.
mental stress, occupational diseases,
hearing impairment, permanent
or temporary disability,
vocational rehabilitation, in addition
to covering for benefits of
deceased employees whose
families' fortunes are upheld
even after the passing away of
their bread winner.
Employers’ responsibilities
The responsibilities of employers,
as spelt out by ECA in ECS,
among others, are to report injuries,
diseases or death of an employee
on the prescribed ECS
forms to NSITF, within the stipulated
periods in the Act; Submit
estimates of earnings of employees
upon which contributions will
be made in the current year;
Pay 1% of employees’ total remuneration
as ECS contribution to the
Fund; Produce payroll records
for inspection on demand by officials
of NSITF; Regularly update
NSITF with variation/changes in
any of the records earlier submitted
and Inform NSITF of closure
of business, in case of liquidation
or when an employer is
closing down, within the stipulated
time.
However, failure to make a report
as stipulated under the Act
constitutes an offence.
Employees’ obligations
Similarly, employees are obligated
under the scheme to among
others things, report injuries,
occupational diseases to his employer,
through his supervisor. In
case of death or serious injury or
disease, the dependant should
report on the prescribed ECS
Forms to NSITF, within the stipulated
periods in the Act; Submit if
he/she is fit to do so, the particulars
of the injury or occupational diseases
on the prescribed ECS form
duly completed by the Health
provider where the employee received
treatment; Complete the
necessary compensation claims
form and submit as appropriate for
processing and payment; Monitor
through their Union representatives
the compliance status of the
employer (implicit obligation); Act
as whistle blower for any observed
malpractice on the part of the employer
or its representative; and
Monitor health and safety issues
in their workplaces and report
promptly to NSITF to enable the
Fund take necessary action to safeguard
their health.
Obligations of NSITF
In the same vein, ECA requires
NSITF to among others, register
the employer by supplying all ECS
forms; Issue registration number
unique to each employer; Collect
contributions through REMITA
platform all money payable under
the Act into the Fund’s Treasury
Single Account, TSA ; Inspect employer
records at regular intervals
to ascertain the degree of compliance
with the Act; Maintain an experience
account for each employer,
indicating the assessments
levied and cost of all
claims chargeable in respect of
the employer; and Make all
payments of various compensation
or benefits to any person
entitled to such and make all disbursements
required to be made
out of the Fund.
NSITF is also obligated under
the Act to invest any money
standing to the credit of the Fund
only in accordance with the advice
of the Independent Investment
Committee; Co-operate
with the National Council for Occupational
Safety and Health for
the prevention of occupational
diseases and promotion of
safety and health culture in the
work place; Appoint accredited
hospitals /clinics; Formulate
guidelines for implementation;
Educate and create public awareness
for ECS; and Enforce compliance
with the ECA, 2010.
Employers breaching ECA
By virtue of the enabling law,
all employers of Labour, public
or private, including informal
sector are bound by the act to register
with the scheme to cover
their employees including the socalled
casual, service or
outsourced workers.
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