The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has tasked employers, especially managers of production and service firms, with ensuring the occupational and environmental safety of employees in workplaces throughout the country.
The Branch Manager of NSITF, Enugu, Ms. Uzoamaka Oraegbu, gave the task on Monday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as the 35th Enugu International Trade Fair winds down.
NAN reports that the fair, which began on April 5, is themed “Promoting made-in-Nigeria products for global competitiveness.”
Oraegbu noted that the trust fund takes periodic visits to firms to ensure that they comply with the highest form of safety standards without compromise.
She said that the NSITF had been at the forefront of massive sensitization of employers in Enugu State on the need and benefit of a safe and harmonious working environment for many years.
The manager said that employers must ensure that walkways are cleared of obstructions, staircases are well-constructed with rails and well-lit, and ground tiles are never slippery, among others.
“The NSITF is primarily established to ensure employees get compensation claims or rights in the event of occupational, health, or environmental hazards at their place of work.
“Therefore, we ensure that any injury, health issue, disability, or even accident an employee is faced with in a workplace or during work is duly and adequately compensated.
“For those that lose their lives in the process of work or through workplace hazards, we ensure that their next of kin or immediate relatives are adequately compensated,” she said.
On the fair, the branch manager noted that there was an increase in the number of people wishing to know more about what NSITF is doing.
She said, “In the course of this particular fair, more people have visited our stand to learn more about what we do at NSITF and how we operate.
“We have more people visiting the stand this year than previous years, and more employers registered and enrolled with our NSITF scheme at this fair, which shows a very remarkable improvement.” (NAN)
