TRACKING_____The Akwa Ibom State Government has constituted a Technical Committee that will work out modalities for the enrollment of its workers in the Civil Service in order to benefit from the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
The Committee, which is headed by the Head of Civil Service, Elder Effiong Essien, has the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Linus Nkan, Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning, Prof Victor Inoka and the Accountant General of the State, Pastor Uwem Andrew-Essien as members.
Announcing the constitution of the committee in his office at Government House,Uyo at the weekend, at the interactive meeting between Akwa Ibom State Government and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem expressed appreciation to the NSITF for enlisting Akwa Ibom in the Employees Compensation Scheme, describing the scheme as a very proactive measure.
Dr Ekuwem said the decision of the state government to enroll in the scheme was borne out of the love Governor Udom Emmanuel has to welfare of workers in the state, particularly the low income earners.
The SSG, who described Governor Emmanuel as a proactive Leader who does not joke with the lives of Akwa Ibomites, expressed confidence in the abilities of the members of the committee to deliver on their assigned responsibilities.
Responding on behalf of the committee, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Linus Nkan,thanked the governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel for his love for Akwa Ibom workers, describing him as a workers friendly Governor.
Nkan explained that the scheme is aimed at protecting workers in the state who may have any health challenges in the course of their works and therefore urged workers to reciprocate the kind gesture of the governor by giving their best.
“His Excellency is truly a worker friendly Governor.With this scheme, he has added more benefits to the workers of Akwa Ibom State.So, I encourage them (workers) to continue to give their best to increase their productivity as a way of also encouraging the Governor for all the good things he’s been doing for the civil servants in the state.
“The readiness of His Excellency, the Governor to key into this scheme is another demonstration of his love for the workers because by the time the government undertake this scheme, it simply means that all Akwa Ibom workers are being taken care of whenever they have any problem that is health related in the course of their works,” the Commissioner stated.
The General Manager of Port Harcourt Region of NSITF, Mrs Maureen Allagoa expressed optimism that the Akwa Ibom State Government would emulate other states in the country by keying into the scheme, which she said has been in existence for the past eight years.
Allogoa explained that the scheme is aimed at providing compensation and claims for
registered workers who might suffer any injury, disability or disease in the course of their works and survivor of worker who died in service,adding that the scheme will boost employer-employee relationship within the work environment.
