Maryam Aminu
In a renewed push for fiscal accountability and good governance, the Executive Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Victor Muruako, Esq., has urged the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to ensure timely remittance of its operating surplus to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007.
Muruako made the call during a presentation by the NSITF Abuja Region on the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) to officials of the Commission at the FRC headquarters in Abuja.
Commending the NSITF for its pivotal role in safeguarding the welfare of Nigerian workers, the FRC boss emphasized that fiscal discipline and transparency remain the bedrock of sustainable national development. “Our oversight mandate is not punitive,” Muruako explained. “It is designed to strengthen transparency, fiscal prudence, and corporate governance across all government-owned enterprises. We urge the NSITF to continue aligning its operations with these standards while improving service delivery to Nigerian workers and employers.”
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to deepening collaboration with agencies such as the NSITF to ensure that social protection initiatives operate within the framework of fiscal responsibility thereby promoting accountability, trust, and efficiency in public financial management.
Responding, the leader of the NSITF delegation, Mr. Bello Collins, reiterated the Fund’s commitment to workplace safety, employee welfare, and rehabilitation, stressing that the prevention of workplace injuries remains central to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme.
“No one wants to sustain an injury or lose a life while working,” Collins said. “That is why the NSITF continues to prioritize occupational safety and health awareness as a key part of its mandate.”
He outlined several ongoing initiatives by the Fund, including:
Routine workplace inspections by Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) officers to enforce compliance with safety standards;
Nationwide Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) awareness programs targeting over 25,000 employers;
Collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) under the Safety at Work Intervention Project (SWIP); and
Active engagement in the amendment process of the National Safety and Health Council Bill at the National Assembly.
Collins noted that these initiatives align with the Fund’s broader vision of building a socially secure, economically empowered, and fiscally responsible Nigeria, consistent with the national fiscal responsibility framework.
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