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| Governor Kefas of Taraba State (left), receiving an award from Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, MD/CE NSITF |
The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, has called for deeper institutional collaboration between the Fund and the Taraba State Government to strengthen the implementation of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS).
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| Barr. Faleye (right), with Barr. Samaila Abdu, ED Admin NSITF, decorating Governor Kefas Agbu |
Faleye, who led a delegation of the Fund on a courtesy visit to Governor of Taraba State at the Governor's office in Jalingo on Thursday, said the engagement was far from ceremonial, describing it as part of a deliberate strategy to build structured partnerships with "progressive state governments committed to workers' welfare and institutional sustainability."
The MD/CE emphasized that the Employees’ Compensation Scheme is not merely a statutory obligation but a critical social protection instrument that guarantees dignity for workers and stability for employers.
"When a worker is injured, disabled or loses his life in the course of duty, the response of government defines public trust and reinforces confidence in leadership,” Falaye said, noting that expanding ECS coverage aligns directly with the governor’s welfare-driven agenda as he commended Governor Kefas on his commitment to workers' welfare.
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| (l-r), Barr. Faleye, Barr. Abdu, and GM/TA MD Office, Dr. Dayo Alao. |
The NSITF boss stressed the need to move beyond dialogue to measurable outcomes and proposed practical steps that would expand ECS compliance across state MDAs, intensify sensitization of major employers, and contractors operating in Taraba, and strengthen workplace safety and compensation awareness across the state.
To ensure structure and accountability, Faleye suggested a focal ministry or designated official to coordinate engagement with the NSITF.
“If it pleases Your Excellency, we can immediately set up a joint technical interface between your designated team and ours to develop a short implementation roadmap within the next few weeks,” he said, adding that the Fund has already established an internal Strategic Inter-Agency Coordination (SIAC) framework to track timelines and deliverables arising from such engagements.
Faleye highlighted the mutual benefits of strengthened ECS coverage, noting that it would protect workers, reduce employers’ litigation exposure, promote industrial harmony and reinforce the administration’s commitment to structured social protection.
In a move aimed at institutionalizing compliance, the NSITF Managing Director recommended the integration of the ECS Compliance Certificate into the state’s public procurement and contracting processes.
He explained that requiring evidence of NSITF compliance as part of documentation for contract bidding, pre-qualification for state projects, contractor registration and renewal, and public-private partnership engagements would not create new obligations but rather reinforce existing statutory requirements.
The approach, he added, would ensure that companies benefiting from public funds are also compliant in protecting their workers.
Faleye concluded by seeking clarity on the state’s preferred coordination structure, asking the governor to advise on which ministry or official the Fund should immediately work with to operationalize the collaboration.
Barrister Faleye then confirmed the Governor as the Ambassador for the Advocacy of ECS in Taraba State in particular, and the Northeast in general.
Responding, Governor Kefas assured that the state would key in into the ECS for betterment of the workers.
"Taraba state government is ready to partner with NSITF to ensure you fulfill your mandate by ensuring all workers are enrolled in the scheme. We would be working through our office of the Head of Service, Ministry of Finance and Ministry for Local Government,” he stated.
The governor, while welcoming the NSITF delegation, expressed his appreciation for the "kind words on all the positive things you have noticed we are doing to improve the lives of our people."
He revealed that "only recently we paid 5 billion Naira to pensioners in the state” and expressed optimism that "by the end of the year the state won't be owning any pensioners their entitlement."
"We would fulfill all obligations as regards the scheme in furtherance of our commitment to workers welfare.,” Governor Kefas promised.
On the confirmation of Ambassador for Advocacy of ECS in the state and the whole of Northeast region, the governor said "l want to assure you l am interested in this your mandate. l am interested to accept any assignment that would enhance this mandate in the interest of the country and workers in general."
Governor Kefas immediately set up a high powered committee to interface with NSITF to ensure Taraba state is ECS-compliant.
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