MINISTER of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, has said President Goodluck Jonathan has fulfilled his promises to Nigerian workers, stressing that enhanced welfare of the Nigerian workers is a major trust of the present Administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Chief Wogu spoke in Abuja when he received the executives of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, led by its National Secretary Comrade Marcus Omokhuale, who visited him.

According to him, “The administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is a pro-people Administration, the welfare of Nigerian workers whether in the Civil Service or the Private Sector is the main concern of the Administration, and you can agree with me that this Administration has been able to achieve at least 80% of what it set out to do for the Nigerian workers as part of its Transformation Agenda.”

Reacting to some of the issues raised by JNPSNC on the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage, the Minister said, “I agree with you that the Federal Government has been able to keep his own side of the New National Minimum Wage bargain, I also agree with you that there is a need for Federal Government to advice States Government who are yet to comply with this Act to do so”.

On the request by the Council to scrap the National Housing Fund, Chief Wogu noted that “Government will consider your earlier position on Staff Housing Loan Board”, however, the National Housing Fund was created by an Act, consequently “Where there is an Act it is either you repeal, you amend or you totally set it aside and that is purely the duty of the National Assembly. I will reach out to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation with your request that the National Housing Fund Act should be repealed, amended or reviewed.”

Earlier, National Secretary JNPSNC, Comrade Omokhuale stated that the purpose of the visit was to present a number of issues that centers on the welfare of Nigerian workers.

He said “Some of the issues we want to discuss with you this morning are; the issue of National Housing Fund, implementation of the New National Minimum Wage, and the reform that was carried out by the Administration of Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in regards to outsourcing in the Civil Service”. Comrade Omokhuale,

…Commissions NSITF Lagos Corporate office Tomorrow

MINISTER of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu will tomorrow commission the Lagos Corporate office of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, as major step towards full implementation of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, ECS, being managed by NSITF.

A statement by Edward Olobayo, NISTF’s Corporate Affairs managers, said the new corporate office of the Fund is on Mobolaji Bank – Anthony Way, Maryland by Ikeja Military Cantonment.

Until now, the fund’s Lagos corporate office was in Ijora Olapa area of Lagos, in Mainland Local Government.

According to the statement “The Employees’ Compensation Scheme is a state regulated system that provides benefits designed to help those who sustain injuries in the course of work, those who die in the course of work and who develop work-related diseases while at work.

It provides for survivors’ benefits to families of deceased employees who suffer from any of these contingencies. It is in line with bringing these benefits to deserving employees that informed the choice of a befitting corporate office with state of the art facilities and full complement of staff at  Lagos to enable NSITF bring its services nearer to employers and employees for ease of accessing.”

This is just one of the many corporate offices the Board plans to open nationwide. The goal at the end of the day is to have a central database that will allow for 24/7 claims service in all NSITF branch offices.  Providing convenient employee-friendly services is our focus. It is indeed a new dawn for the Nigerian employees as the stage is now set for the full implementation of the scheme nationwide.”