…vows Rivers State will key in to scheme
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubura, has said the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) is projecting the Tinubu government positively through the Employees’ Compensation Scheme(ECS).
Governor Fubara stated this when he received the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Fund, Barrister Oluwaseun Mayomi Faleye, and his team in his office on Wednesday November 19, 2025.
Barrister Faleye and his team had paid a courtesy visit to the Governor in Port-harcourt after presenting cheques to different beneficiaries of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, (ECS) in Port-Harcourt.
Fubara heartily welcomed Barrister Faleye and thanked him for bringing the Employees Compensation Scheme to the notice of the Rivers State Government.
In his words, “The good work of NSITF, through the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, is projecting the Federal Government in a very positive light. In fact, it is a gift to Nigerian workers and everyone who has keyed into the Scheme.”
Governor Fubara also assured that Rivers State would embrace the Scheme. He said, “We are trying in our little ways to improve the fortune of our workers. We will take it as a matter of priority to ensure we subscribe to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme managed by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund”.
The Governor further opined that the Scheme could come in handy in the fight against corruption. “One way or fighting corruption is for the State to key in into the Employees’ Compensation Scheme.”
He explained that corruption “is fuelled by the fear of what happens to the individual when they are no longer able to work.”
The Governor emphasized the importance of an institution such as NSITF that could allay workers’ fear of the future and also give hope to the people.
He expressed his joy that the “Scheme is working and catering for the needs of injured and disabled workers as well as families of deceased ones,” and vowed that “…nothing will stop us from working towards subscribing to the Scheme.”
In his address, the MD NSITF, Barrister Olúwaṣeun Faleye thanked the Governor for the warm reception. He explained his mission in Rivers State was to present cheques to beneficiaries under the ECS and solicit the Governor’s support for the Scheme.
“We are here in Rivers State to present cheques to some private sector employees who are beneficiaries of the Scheme. We are also here to solicit for your support in ensuring that the River State Government subscribes to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme in the bid to improve the State workers’ welfare,” the MD stated.
“River State keying into the scheme will be a trailblazer. Rivers can be the leading light of the ECS in the South-South Region,” he solicited.
Explaining the Scheme to Governor Fubara, Faleye said, “we are mandated by law to implement the ECS in the case of death, injury or diseases that may occur in the course of work. It is instructive to note that our compensation goes on for some while to provide social safety net for employees.
“In the same vein, it offers a lot economic benefits to the State and its workforce as the Scheme builds resilience in the workforce ecosystem thereby contributing to economic productivity”.
The NSITF MD appealed to Governor Fubara to make NSITF compliance certificate a prerequisite for doing business with the State Government, a suggestion which the Governor readily accepted, noting that Rivers State will start by ensuring that the contractor undertaking its Government Secreatriat renovations complies to the ESC.
The Head of Service to the State Civil Service, the Secretary to the State Government were in attendance at the courtesy visit. The NSITF MD was accompanied on the visit by Mrs Mojisola Alli-Macaulay, the Executive Director, Operations, Barrister Nkiru Ogunnaiki, GM Claims and Compensation as well as the Regional Manager of the Port Harcourt Region of NSITF.
