Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, has said the Federal Government would “unbundle” the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) for efficiency and make its operations fair to all staff members.

He promised that no staff would be witch-hunted in the process.

The minister said this during the flag-off of this year’s Customer Service Week at NSITF Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, October 5.

Lalong assured the management and staff of the support and cooperation of the ministry towards ensuring that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and his vision for Nigerian workers was actualised in the agency.

The minister charged the staff to continue to put in their best to actualise the Employee Compensation Scheme.

In a statement bythe General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Nwachukwu Godson, the minister urged the workers to work hard and shun all distractions that would pull the organisation down.

He further urged the agency to exploit the opportunity offered by Customer Service Week to review its services to the Nigerian workers with a view to serving them better.

Executive Director, Administration, NSITF Prof. Gabriel Okenwa hailed Lalong for being responsive to the needs of the staff and added it was the first time in the history of the agency that its supervising minister would flag off its Customer Service Week.

He assured the minister that the agency had already keyed into the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government, ranging from transparency and efficient deployment of resources to streamlining the operations of the Fund in line with global best practices.

He said: “Our new mantra is that this fund, ‘the NSITF Can.’ If there are missteps in the past, present management and staff are already forging ahead, ever determined to ensure that we deliver fully on our onerous obligation to the world of work.

“The services we offer are ones that are dear to the heart of every Nigerian worker – safety at workplaces and prevention of accidents, paying of compensation for injury in the course of work, rehabilitation, and assisting injured enrollees to be on their feet again while helping bereaved families live beyond pains in case of death of dear ones in the course of work.

“We can’t thank the minister, indeed the Federal Government enough for insisting that the huge benefits of the Employee Compensation scheme should be availed to every worker in the public sector through a compulsory contribution of 1% of their emoluments by the MDAs. It is important to also state clearly that this 1% deduction is not to be made from the salaries of workers,” he added,

Deputy General Manager and Head of NSITF’s SERVICOM Department, Gertrude Biosah said the annual event was an opportunity to recognise and appreciate dedicated frontline representatives and foster a sense of teamwork amongst our Staff.

“Customer Service Week is an internationally recognised celebration that emphasises the importance of exceptional customer service. By participating in this event, we can enhance productivity, build resilience, and boost employee morale. The event is an international celebration which affords organisation an opportunity to appreciate both the internal and external customers,” he added. (The Nation)

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