NSITF: Reps c’ttee threatens to sue oil companies

The House of Representatives has threatened legal action against oil majors operating in Nigeria over their failure in remitting their contributions to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Chairman of the ad hoc committee investigating the non-remittance of contributions into NSITF by the three tiers of government, public and private entities from 2010 to date, Rep. Sada Soli, issued the threat on Monday during an investigative hearing held by the committee in Abuja.

Rep. Soli said the companies should expedite action to rectify the breach and pay their backlog of contributions to the NSITF to avoid being dragged to court.

“In Nigeria, the coal and petroleum sectors produce the highest case of fatality per injured person, which is about 16.6 per cent compared to 5.9 per cent amongst wood workers.

“I am therefore calling on all major oil companies, particularly the NNPC and its subsidiaries, the greatest violators of this Act, to expedite action to rectify this breach and pay their backlog of contribution to the NSITF before legal action is taken against them,” he warned.

The House member recalled that the House constituted the ad hoc committee in July to look into the critical problem of non-remittances of NSITF contributions with a view of finding lasting solutions.

According to him, the fact that government and all its agencies are guilty of this laxity is capable of giving the wrong impression that the nation does not prioritise the social security and welfare scheme of workers.

He expressed disappointment at the non-remittance of contributions to the fund over the years by all tiers of governments and many employers of labour, thereby, crippling the operations of the NSITF.

“This ad hoc committee and the National Assembly call on the federal, states and local governments, their agencies and parastatals and private companies to immediately pay all contributions due to the NSITF in order not to jeopardise the noble objectives of establishing the fund,” Rep. Soli added.

He emphasised that the NSITF was set up to provide comprehensive compensation to workers who suffer from occupational diseases or sustained injury arising from accidents at the work place or in the course of employment.

“This is the principle behind the Employee’s Compensation Act of 2010, which provides a guaranteed and adequate compensation for all workers and their dependants for any death, injury, disease or disability in the course of their employment.

“This assistance is meant to be taken from the solvent compensation fund which the worker and the employer are supposed to contribute into.

“It is therefore, both a moral and legal responsibility for the government and indeed, all employers of labour to ensure that those who spend the best part of their lives working to contribute to the growth of our societies are not allowed to suffer neglect occupational diseases, injuries or death,” the lawmaker added.

Rep. Soli said the investigative hearing would identify the real causes behind the non-remittances in the last one decade and how this can be immediately corrected.

Declaring the hearing open, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, charged the committee to identify factors militating against the full compliance with the requirements of the law.

The speaker, who was represented by the House Majority Leader, Rep. Hassan Dogowa, also urged the committee to make recommendations to the House on what actions to achieve to ensure full compliance.

“If it requires that we amend the law, we will do so. If it requires that we work with the 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,” Gbajabiamila promised.

The speaker also said the committee should report to the House within the shortest possible time to enable the House begin to act in whatever capacity is required to ensure compliance.