The federal government of Nigeria has put in place relevant instrument that will facilitate the prosecution of employers who have defaulted in the implementation of the Employees Compensation Act (ECA), Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige has said.
To this effect, the Operation and the Legal Departments of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has been directed to, immediately, commence court actions against such defaulting employers.
Senator Ngige who made the disclosure during a working tour of the NSITF Regional office and its branch offices in Lagos had frowned at the level of non-compliance by employers captured under the ECA, even as he further directed that the Management should immediately serve a pre-action notice for litigation against the defaulters.
The Minister has also said all the employers of labour who have not been captured should be identified and served as well.
Despite the poor performance in the Lagos Region, the minister described the region as the goose that lays the golden eggs, adding that the region was still the best across the country with the 9,400 employers already captured.
However, he regretted that only 15% of the 9,400 employers were paying the 1% of their employees’ salaries as stipulated by the Act.
“As the person authorised by the Act, to make regulations for the enhancement of the Act, I have directed them to look for the other 85% of that 9,400 and give them pro-action notice for litigation.
“There are penalties, the companies, the directors of these companies and for individuals who default in being captured by the Act. There are also penalties, for those who have been captured and who also have defaulted in their payment.”
The minister gave a target of 100,000 employers to be captured in the region, while he stated that all staff will henceforth be given a target to meet as their promotion should be based on performance.