From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The two major workers’ unions in the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)—the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE)—have passed a vote of confidence on the agency’s Managing Director, Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, praising what they described as sweeping reforms and renewed corporate efficiency under his leadership.
The endorsement was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammadu Dingyadi, and jointly signed by the presidents and secretaries of the two unions. A statement from the NSITF management, made available to Triumph on Wednesday in Abuja, confirmed the development.
The unions commended the minister for fostering what they called “a sustainable work environment” and recognised the NSITF management’s ongoing restructuring of the Fund.
“Sir, we are equally proud to relate to the leadership qualities of the current Management team of NSITF led by Barrister Olúwaṣeun Faleye, who has embarked on reconstruction and re-engineering of the Fund to accomplish its strategic objectives since their assumption of duty,” the unions wrote.
They further praised the management’s commitment to transparency and improved service delivery, noting that the reforms have already translated into “significant and visible results” across the organisation.
The workers highlighted the stoppage of the controversial digitalisation contract (E-NSITF) as one of the bold steps taken to block wastage and safeguard public resources. They described the project as “fraudulent in origin,” adding that users had long rejected the platform due to technical and operational shortcomings.
According to the unions, canceling the contract showed the management’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s transparency agenda and “deserves the support of all.”
They also backed the ongoing amendments to the NSITF Act 1993 and the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010, stating that both laws required urgent updates to strengthen the Fund’s mandate and clarify conflicting provisions.
“It is pertinent to state that the amendments are geared towards empowering the Fund, clarifying ambiguities, resolving conflicting provisions with other legislations, and providing a firm framework for its operations,” the unions said.
They expressed optimism that the amended Acts would make the Fund “more accessible and better equipped” to deliver compensation for workers who suffer injury, disability or death in the course of duty.
The unions condemned what they described as “misleading actions and blackmail” targeted at the current management by individuals opposed to reform. They urged the minister to ignore such “maligning tendencies” and continue supporting the agency’s leadership.
They further appealed for sustained oversight and cooperation to enable the NSITF management consolidate ongoing reforms.
The letter to the minister was jointly signed by Bala Tijani, President of ASSBIFI (NSITF unit); Godwin Ekpah, General Secretary, ASSBIFI (NSITF unit); Simon Wenzamma, Chairman, NUBIFIE (NSITF unit); and Miller Gudopwa, Secretary, NUBIFIE (NSITF unit).