The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has called on employers across the country to embrace the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS) as a sustainable measure to reduce industrial disputes and strengthen workplace harmony.
The appeal was made by the NSITF Managing Director, Mr. Oluwaseun Faleye, during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the Oil Producers Trade Sector (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce to his office in Abuja on Wednesday.
In a statement signed by NSITF’s Deputy General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Alex Mede, Faleye urged employers to do more in educating their workers on welfare initiatives such as the ECS, health benefits, and other social protections already available to them.
“You need to highlight your efforts at meeting their welfare demands through compensation schemes and health benefits, and tie these to productivity. Workers’ demands are not always about salary increases; often, their priority is assurance about their future,” he said.
Faleye also proposed that compliance with the Employees Compensation Act (ECA) should become a mandatory condition for awarding contracts. He stressed that employers must ensure subcontractors, suppliers, and other partners also enrol their workers in the scheme to avoid vicarious liabilities.
He reaffirmed NSITF’s commitment to continuous advocacy on workplace safety, health, and environmental standards, noting that these were critical for boosting productivity and reducing disputes.
Earlier, OPTS delegation leader, Steve Ojeh, acknowledged the potential for collaboration between the two organisations. He, however, expressed concerns about the proposed increase in ECS contributions above the current one per cent threshold, and the expansion of its coverage beyond basic salary, housing, and transport allowances.
The Employees Compensation Scheme, established under the Employees Compensation Act 2010, provides compensation to workers who suffer work-related injuries, diseases, disabilities, or death, at no cost to employees. Employers are required to contribute one per cent of their workers’ gross salaries to the scheme.
