The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has charged the management of the Nigeria Social Investment Trust Fund (NSITF) to place premium on its own staff in order to sustain the organisation’s credibility.
NSITF is charged with compensating workers who suffer workplace injuries, disabilities or death.
A press statement by NSITF Public Affairs Department said the minister handed the charge, Friday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, at the Retreat of the NSITF, Board and Management.
He expressed hope that the retreat would be an opportunity to rejuvenate the board and management towards accomplishing the mission and vision of the Fund.
“The Management cadre is the pulse of the organisation and as such indicates the liveliness of an organisation at any point in time and affects the vitals of its remaining parts.
“In industrial relations parlance it is said that a management deserves the kind of workers it gets. So, on a practical note, ask yourselves during this retreat what kind of workers do I merit based on my attitude and approach to work? Working on this premise, I urge the management to be staff oriented and not place itself in an ivory tower.
“The Management should at all times be mindful of the principles of equity, fairness, and social justice in order to ensure decent work for the staff of the NSITF,” Ngige stated.
The minister further urged the board and management to use the retreat to “find ways and means of encouraging your staff to put in their best; utilise your human resources by mapping out areas of your mandate for your staff respective schedules, to give them decent and engaging works; survey the office environment both physically and mentally in order to create conducive environment for higher productivity and sustainability of the enterprise.
“Create credibility for the NSITF so that the private and public employers would have the confidence and trust to work with the NSITF to realise its mandate; and invest and move the NSITF higher to meet up with international benchmarks and defend its internationally acquired standard.”
On his part, the Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Udom Emmanuel, who formally declared the retreat open, commended the organisation for discharging its statutory mandate creditably.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, appreciated the Fund for the choice of Akwa Ibom for the retreat.
Also speaking the Chairman of the NSITF Board, Prince Austin Enajemo- Isire, highlighted the essence of social security scheme to the economic development of a nation.
Enajemo- Isire, who said the scheme helps in poverty alleviation and economic empowerment, noted that the retreat was necessary to re-plan and enthrone new ways of doing things to enable the Fund come out stronger.
