NSITF Pays N1.7bn Claims, Compensation To Rehabilitate Injured Workers

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) yesterday said it spent over N1.7billion as claims and compensations for rehabilitation of injured workers, death benefits as well as compensation for loss of man hour to their employers in the last one year.

Managing Director, NSITF, Dr. Michael Akabogu, stated this during the kick-off of the Customer Service Week at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said: “We have paid a total of 8668 death benefits amounting to N712,249,368 to beneficiaries of deceased employees; N193,538,878 disability benefits to 10,610 disabled employees, retirement benefits to 3,506 disabled employees to the tune of N3,330,621.

“We have as well provided artificial body parts to 54 persons amounting to N59,841,554, besides refunding medical expenses to 603 employers at the cost of N198,542,099.”

The Managing Director, who was represented by the General Manager, Finance and Accounts, Zwalda Ponkap, added that 583 beneficiaries of death benefits are on the payroll of the agency while 772 beneficiaries of disability benefit and 235 retirement beneficiaries are equally on the payroll.

In a statement by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, NSITF, Ijeoma Okoronkwo, the managing director re-assured the public that the agency would continue to ensure adequate and timely compensation for workers who suffer injury, disease or death in the course of work.

Speaking on the theme of this year’s Week, which is “Celebrate Service,” Akabogu stated that the new focus of the agency was to transit from being a clearance house for claims and compensations to one that minimises workplace accidents in order to optimise national productivity.

He said: “Customer service has turned into a great tool for organisations, especially in the challenging environment we are in. It is a critical influencer for brand loyalty. If we serve our customers well, we will not only retain them but also make new ones.

“Every staff of the NSITF must therefore be aware that we are at the forefront of social security in Nigeria and this is a heavy responsibility that must be discharged diligently. It is therefore an opportunity for us to re-dedicate ourselves to our duties to the office and to our larger customer base in the formal and informal sectors.

“We are aware that the primary focus of the fund is not just the payment of compensation, rather prevention of workplace mishaps and promotion of healthy workplace in order to optimise national productivity.

“In this wise, the fund has in the last one year given training to over 200 companies on Occupational Safety and Health preventive support across the six geo-political zones as well as conducted occupational safety and health inspection in over 3000 establishments.

“I wish to use this opportunity therefore to call on all relevant stakeholders in private and public sectors to join hands with us in preventing occupational accidents and diseases. Our Occupational Safety and Health Department has the necessary expertise to develop , implement, coordinate, and promote environmental, occupational health and safety policies across the nation.”

The kick off was later followed by a road show, which took the fund officers to major markets in the Federal Capital Territory.

Customer Service Week is a yearly week-long event celebrated globally.