Reps to prosecute fallible Companies for failing to remit deduction.
Words: Esther Ososanya
The House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee has held a public hearing, monday October 7, on non remittance of contributions into the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) by Federal,states and local governments parastatals.
The years covered by the infraction are from year 2010 till date.
The Public hearing was attended by Public and private Corporations from different sectors of the Economy.
The primary goal of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund is to create Insurance for workers who suffer injury, negligence, ill health and even death in line of duty .
But the purpose for setting up the fund has not being realised
This is because employers of labour are not complying with the employers compensation act 2010 and it cuts across both public and private sectors.
Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa representing the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila at the hearing.
‘The mandate of this committee is therefore simply to identify what factors may be mitigating against full compliance with the requirements of the law in this instance, and to make recommendations thereto on what we in the House of Representatives can do to achieve full compliance, and properly penalize those who refuse to do what is required of them, whether they’re government institutions or private enterprises. If it requires that we amend the law, we will do so. If it requires that we work with the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to improve on the internal regulatory framework, we will do that too. One thing is for certain, we will make sure that the rights of the Nigerian worker are respected and their interests, protected”.
Alhassan Ado Doguwa was displeased towards the non appearance of heads of government agencies that were found wanting.
Hon.Sada Soli chairman of the ad hoc committee called on all major oil companies particularly the nnpc and it’s subsidiaries the greatest violators of this act to expedite actions to rectify this breach and pay their backlog of contribution to the nsitf before legal action is taken against them. Also called on well meaning Nigerians, especially employers of labour to pay their contributions to the fund so that workers can be guaranteed safe landing when they fall.
Low Public awareness of the scheme appears to be a major challenge.
Stakeholders are calling for stiffer punishment to be meted out to defaulting companies.
The 5 day public hearing is expected to expose defaulting companies that have failed to remit monies deducted from workers in the last ten (10)years.