Mustapha Muhammad Tukur

Sokoto state office of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has celebrated the world day for safety and health at work with a sensitization campaign against death and injuries obtained at work place in Sokoto metropolis.

This year’s campaign, themed “Safety & Health and the future of Work”, was celebrated amidst the global pandemic outbreak of Covid-19, and was aimed at ensuring safety of workers in their work place.

The Day is globally celebrated on 28th of April annually with the mandate of informing the public dangers of safety at work and creating health safety environment for workers at work place in order to reduce work-related deaths and injuries as is mandated by the International Labour Organization.

Speaking at the Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat, Sokoto, the branch chairman of NSITF, Ashiru Muhammad Alkali, called for collaboration with the union to ensure welfare of employees in the event of accident or injuries.

“This campaign is unique and necessary because of the Covid-19 pandemic which has ravaged so many sectors of the economy, including the employers and the employees.

“That is why the need to enlighten the workers and the public of the dangers of the pandemic and how to prepare ahead in case of other similar pandemic”, Alkali said.

He also said that their organization NSITF is working with the state’s office of the head of Service to ensure that state government workers were enrolled in order to benefit from the insurance scheme.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Sokoto state chapter, Comrade Aminu Umar said the campaign was promptly and of paramount importance.

“We are not only after workers’ salary, their safety at work is also paramount so as to protect them from potential dangers and injuries at work, hazards and chemicals in the case of private company workers, so we’re fully in support of ensuring workers welfare”, he said.

He then assured of NLC’s full support towards achieving the desired objective of the campaign.

The sensitization campaign was also taken to sokoto state Fire service Commison where the Commanding Officer, SP Nura Sifawa, commended them for the campaign, adding that “It’s a welcome development because people need to be advised on safety precautions especially in their work place.”

The NSITF is providing fair and adequate compensation for all insured employees in case of any accident, emergency, disability or death, arising in the course of employment.