The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has strengthened its partnership with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to guarantee adequate welfare protection and compensation for personnel who suffer work-related injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities or death in the course of duty.

The partnership is being strengthened through a three-day sensitisation and onboarding programme on the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), organised by both institutions to equip relevant officers and stakeholders with the knowledge and procedures required for effective implementation of the scheme.

Speaking at the opening of the programme, the Commandant-General of NSCDC, represented by DCG Zakari Ningi, described the partnership with NSITF as an important milestone in strengthening institutional cooperation and personnel welfare.

He said the NSCDC remained committed to ensuring that its personnel benefited from the provisions of the Employees’ Compensation Act.

“The welfare, safety and protection of our personnel remain a priority. We recognise that the effectiveness of any organisation is not determined solely by its operational capacity, but also by the extent to which it protects, motivates and provides adequate support for its workforce,” Ningi said.

He explained that NSCDC personnel perform critical national assignments, including disaster management, emergency response, protection of lives and property, and safeguarding essential infrastructure, often under dangerous conditions.

According to him, the Corps had embarked on a comprehensive institutional programme to ensure that eligible personnel were properly registered and that the necessary administrative structures were established to facilitate access to compensation benefits.

He described the sensitisation programme as particularly important because it would equip insurance officers and other relevant stakeholders with the knowledge required for personnel registration, onboarding, claims processing, reporting obligations and other operational procedures.

Ningi urged participants to take full advantage of the three-day exercise and translate the knowledge acquired into effective implementation within their respective departments and formations.

He also called on relevant government institutions to maintain accurate personnel records, submit required information promptly and establish effective communication channels with NSITF.

“Let me also emphasise that the sustainable implementation of the scheme requires sustained collaboration, transparency, accountability and institutional commitment. We must move beyond sensitisation to actual implementation,” he stressed.

He expressed confidence that the partnership would contribute to building a more motivated, secure and productive workforce within the Corps.

In his remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of NSITF, Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye, described the engagement as an important step towards protecting personnel who routinely risk their lives in the discharge of their responsibilities.

He said the NSCDC remained a critical component of Nigeria’s security architecture, with responsibilities that include safeguarding lives and property, protecting critical national infrastructure, managing disasters and responding to emergencies.

“Your personnel will routinely face very serious operational hazards. Every day, officers put themselves in harm’s way in the line of duty. The structure entrusted with the protection of the nation must therefore have a dependable system for protecting its own workforce,” Faleye said.

He commended the Commandant-General of the NSCDC for his foresight and commitment to personnel welfare, noting that the Corps had demonstrated its readiness to implement the scheme through budgetary provisions and engagements with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

Explaining the benefits of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, established under the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010, Faleye said it provides financial and medical support to workers who sustain injuries, develop occupational diseases or suffer disabilities arising from their employment.

He explained that beneficiaries could access medical treatment, hospitalisation, medication and rehabilitation, including prosthetic and assistive devices for personnel who sustain life-altering injuries.

According to him, the scheme also provides income support during temporary incapacity and statutory compensation for permanent partial or total disability.

He further emphasised that the scheme extends protection to the families of personnel who die from work-related injuries or occupational diseases, ensuring that eligible dependants receive compensation.

“Protecting an employee must also mean protecting those who depend on that employee. For the Corps, therefore, the scheme is more than a statutory obligation,” he stated.

The NSITF boss said the ultimate objective was to ensure that beneficiaries could maintain a standard of living reasonably close to what they enjoyed before suffering work-related injuries or disabilities.

The programme attracted senior officers of the NSCDC, representatives of NSITF, insurance professionals, stakeholders and members of the press.

The three-day sensitisation and onboarding programme is expected to establish a solid foundation for the effective implementation of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme within the NSCDC, ensuring that personnel who risk their lives in service to the nation receive the protection and support guaranteed under the law.