Calls on Senate to prioritize passage of Labour Law Bill
Members of the Organized Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN), along with about 25 employers’ federations, have opposed the proposed amendment to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Act, warning that the changes could undermine the fund’s governance, weaken accountability, and open the door to political interference.
Even though it has already passed a second reading in the Senate, the operators vowed to employ all legitimate and legal means, including recourse to international labour standards and the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) supervisory mechanisms, to protect the NSITF from any actions that threaten its effectiveness, sustainability, and compliance with global best practices.
In a letter written to the Senate President and signed by the five Directors-General, comprising the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), the Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), the Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and other 25 Employers Federations, they re-iterated that they would not accept any amendment that weakens the Fund’s governance framework or diminishes the participation of organised labour and employers in its management as the primary contributors to the Fund.
The amendment proposal is being spearheaded by the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment, led by Senator Diket Plang.
The OPSN warned that the proposed amendment aims to diminish the representation and influence of employers and workers — the fund’s primary contributors and beneficiaries — while expanding government control through increased political appointments.
