Bimbola Oyesola

In a bid to achieve a world without occupational accidents and diseases in the future, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has tasked stakeholders in the world of work to see health and safety as a way of life.

Speaking at the organisation’s celebration of the 2019 World Day for Safety and Health, themed “Health and Safety and the Future of Work,” in Lagos on Friday, the regional manager of NSITF, Mrs. Olufunke Aleshinloye, charged the employees and employers to support and buy into the vision of zero harm as this will enhance productivity and national development.

She said, “It gives me great pleasure to be here at this year’s event. Let me first appreciate the managing director/chief executive for his continuous support and passion for this event, which was held at various regional offices last year.

“Since 2003, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) observes the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on April 28, capitalising on its traditional strengths of tripartism among trade unions, employers’ organisations and government representatives alike.

“The ILO acknowledges the shared responsibility of key stakeholders and encourages them to promote a preventive safety and health culture to fulfil their obligations and responsibilities for preventing deaths, injuries and diseases in the workplace, allowing workers to return safely to their homes at the end of working day,” she said.

The regional manager noted that the NSITF dream for the future of work is to have zero harm at workplaces, stating requirements necessary to achieve this to include, among others, training the minds of people to take ownership of safety; designing a safe system of work; enforcement of occupational safety and health standards in workplaces; keeping proper records and management’s commitment to safety and health.

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She said the NSITF in pursuit of the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, protects Nigerian workers in the private and public sectors from difficulties arising from workplace accidents by providing adequate and timely compensation for employees or their dependants for any death, injury, disease or disability arising out of or in the course of employment.

According to Aleshinloye, the organisation, from the inception of ECA, till March 2019, paid N2,328,225,091.46 for 27,825 claims. It has 338 dependants’ beneficiaries on monthly payroll, 448 number of disability beneficiaries, 54 disabled employees provided with prosthesis.

She added that NSITF paid three highest monthly dependant benefit of N1,629,764.78 (oil and gas), N1,584,794.98 (manufacturing), N1,348,886.48 (oil and gas). Also, three highest monthly disability benefit of N281,548.31 (oil and gas), N276,890.17 (shipping) and N249,332.79 (manufacturing).

On the statistics in Lagos, she said 681 accident notifications were received, out of which 322 (47%) were road traffic accidents and 359 (53%)  workplace accidents.  

“The statistics above are reported cases, however, lots of unreported cases abound. It, therefore, behoves on every organisation to make safety and health a matter of priority, which needs urgent attention and to ensure that all accidents are duly reported,” she said.

She stressed that safe and healthy workplaces provide the consistency and reliability needed to build a community and grow a business.

As part of the activities to mark the day, the staff embarked on an awareness and sensitisation walk from the office in Maryland, Lagos, towards the roundabout and walked down towards Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, sharing handbills containing vital  information on safety and health to residents and passersby.