BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG
MANAGING Director/Chief Executive Officer, CEO  of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, Alhaji Munir Abubakar, has said the fund has paid  a total of N14, 837,005.66 as claims to companies under the Employees’ Compensation Act, ECA, 2010.

The claims were paid to employees involved in accidents including dead victims of such accidents.

Abubakar who spoke in Lagos during an interactive session with industrial unions on the implementation of ECA 2010, Lagos, said “The Fund has refunded to employers the sum of N14, 217,494.31, while N619,511.35 was paid to the next of kins of deceased employers since it started.”

Giving details of claims, he  explained that the medical care support refund to the employers was N14, 217,494.31 while death cases involving periodic payments to the next of kin is N619,511.35, given the total as N14,837,005.66.

According to him,  412  applications for claims had been received to date without proper documentation and “NSITF has received 4,507 as notice of accidents or deaths”.

While briefing the unions on delays in claims processing,  Abubakar  said “failure to complete all relevant ECS forms or failure to include required attachments, glaring ignorance of the manner and type of accidents/diseases covered by the act among others are some of the challenges affecting delay in claims”

In case of injury, he said, “compensations for disabilities arising from injuries/diseases suffered in the course of work, a sum equal to 90 per cent of the injured employee’s total remuneration payable monthly”.

The MD/CEO affirmed that NSITF was committed to responsibilities of reducing incidence of negative coping strategies by the vulnerable employees, removing sufferings, anxiety, insecurity and material deprivation of the often less privileged employees.

“NSITF is committed to quality service that is guided by the principle of accountability, transparency and integrity”, he emphasised.

Munir , who also complained about poor wages and exploitation of workers, noted that “Parts of the future plan of the scheme, is accreditation of hospitals and clinics all over the country that will be used for the treatment of injured persons under scheme, committee working on the opening of rehabilitation centers/vocational training centres in compliance with the provisions of the act”.

On the impacts of the implementation of ECA which commenced last year, the Munir  said over 1000 employers registered under the scheme as at August 31st, this year.

He said “Over 12 commercial banks have been appointed as contribution collection banks, while contribution collection agents had also been appointed to facilitate revenue generation under the scheme. Already, some major employers and industries in Lagos had received ambulances and other safety equipment to assist in taking care of their injured employees for the purpose. This gesture will touch all corners of the country”.

On future plans, the MD said work was s going on the appointment and accreditation of hospitals and clinics in the country that would be used for the treatment of injured persons under the scheme.

He added however that a “committee is working on the opening of rehabilitation and vocational training centres in compliance with the provisions of the Act”.