The House of Representatives on Monday, threatened to send the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after corporate employers of labour, in both public and private sectors, for failing to remit employees compensation money to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

This is even as the House revealed that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), its subsidiaries and Oil companies in the country were the biggest defaulters.

Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamilla, issued the threat while declaring open the investigative hearing by the Adhoc committee investigating the non-remittances by the three tiers of government and their parastatals, as well as private corporate organisations sin year 2010 to date.

The Speaker, who was represented by Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the House Majority Leader, said that the House will not hesitate to refer the recommendations of the committee to anti-graft agencies for appropriate actions.

Stressing that the House will do everything including amending laws to protect the Nigerian worker, he said, “we will forward the recommendations of this committee to the EFCC, ICPC,to go after defaulting employers.”

The Speaker reminded that the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) was created to meet a specific need in the country, which is providing adequate compensation for all employees or their dependents, in the event of death, injury, disease, or disability arising from, or in the course of their employment.

“It is the employer contributions required by law that allows the fund to operate, and to meet the demands of its mandate. It follows therefore that failure to comply with the requirement of law in this matter is an act of sabotage against the interests of the Nigerian worker, and that is unacceptable.

“When, as is evidently the case, government institutions themselves also fail to meet their obligations in this regard, it evidences a glaring repudiation of the government’s constitutional obligation to serve the security and welfare of the people. (Daily Independent)

Update news