The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, Oluwaseun Faleye, has said the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) is helping injured Nigerian workers regain hope, confidence and dignity after workplace accidents.
Faleye spoke in Abuja during the presentation of prosthetic limbs to 10 beneficiaries under the scheme.
Represented by the General Manager, Claims and Compensation, Mrs Nkiru Ogunnike, the NSITF boss said the intervention has continued to change lives by supporting injured workers through rehabilitation and reintegration.
He said workplace accidents do not only leave physical scars on victims, but also emotional trauma and fears about the future.
“For many Nigerian workers, a single workplace incident can permanently alter the course of their lives,” he said.
Faleye noted however that the intervention of the NSITF through the ECS has given many victims another chance to rebuild their lives and regain independence.
He cited the experiences of Daniel Etim of the University of Uyo Printing Press and Festus Okpara of Tower Aluminium Laos as examples of the impact of the scheme.
Daniel lost his arm in May 2024 after it became trapped in an industrial machine during routine work, an accident that later led to amputation.
Faleye said the NSITF covered his medical expenses under the scheme before also providing him with a prosthetic arm to aid his recovery.
“Beyond the payment of medical bills, the Fund extended further rehabilitative support by providing him with a prosthetic arm, reaffirming its commitment not only to compensation but also to restoring dignity, confidence and functionality to injured workers,” he stated.
He added that Daniel’s case reflects the broader goal of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, which is designed to ensure workers injured in the line of duty are not abandoned in difficult times.
Faleye also recounted the story of Festus Okpara, who lost his hand in a workplace accident in 2015.
According to him, beyond the physical injury, Festus endured years of emotional trauma and the discomfort that came with constant public attention.
He said the NSITF later provided him with a silicone prosthetic hand, helping him regain confidence and feel more comfortable in public.
“For beneficiaries like Daniel and Festus, the interventions of the NSITF have become more than institutional obligations. They represent hope, restoration and reassurance that injured workers are not left to navigate tragedy alone,” he said.
The NSITF boss added that the cases also highlight the psychological burden workplace injuries place on victims long after physical wounds may have healed.
He described the ECS as a critical safety net for workers in both the public and private sectors.
One of the beneficiaries, Festus Okpara, expressed appreciation to the Fund for the support.
“I thank NSITF for coming all this way to help. At least with this artificial hand, I can go out in public and feel free. NSITF has reduced the level of trauma,” he said.
The 10 beneficiaries are among 78 persons recently fitted with artificial limbs under the ongoing rehabilitation and reintegration programme of the NSITF.
