The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has rolled out more measures to operationalize the Federal Government’s Eight-Point-Agenda on jobs and social security.
Speaking at the New Performance Management System Implementation Workshop for the Fund’s heads of department, regional and branch managers as well as select staff of the agency in Abuja, Thursday, the Managing Director of the NSITF, Maureen Allagoa said the agency must double down in the face of cascading challenges in the world of work to effectively meet up with the Federal government target on social security.
According to Allagoa, “of the eight-point-agenda of the Federal Government, poverty eradication, job creation and growth speak directly to labour and employment. As a key agency of the Ministry of Labour, the NSITF occupies a central position in ensuring that this national objectives are met.
“ If we must remain relevant as the nation’s cardinal social security agency, we must leave no gaps in ensuring that we contribute our quota. Part of the target of the Employee Compensation, lest we forget, is to grow a resilient national workforce without which optimum productivity, growth and social inclusion will be made more difficult.”
To effectively achieve this according to Allagoa, the operations of the NSITF must be rejigged to key in effective performance evaluation.
She said further, “ we are here to learn and position ourselves on a lead spot for systematic performance evaluation metrics which is more pragmatic and better aligned to our job responsibility.
“ I’m happy that the re-invigoration of the Civil/Public Service by remodelling the performance assessment system to a new model that measures and tracks actual performances, being championed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan, has taken root in the NSITF.
“ The NSITF has fully embraced the Performance Management System (PMS) which presents a more systematic approach for assessing the performance of employees. We have left Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) with all its deficiencies.
“ The process will allow an organisation like ours align our mission, goals and objectives with available human resources and set priorities. It will enable us track productivity in real time on an individual, team or organisational level.
“The automation of our processes will consummate this system for a seamless assessment, data/record keeping, analysis and performance evaluation.
“ I wish to acknowledge the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, His Excellency, Simon Lalong, for initiating the adoption and implementation of the PMS and facilitating the convening of this workshop. The “unbundling of the NSITF for efficiency” which he promised recently while on a familiarisation of the fund has taken off in earnest.
“ Therefore, by the time you return to your regions, branches, departments and offices, you will be the fulcrum of the full implementation of the PMS at your various areas of jurisdiction to ensure that the Fund derives the full benefit of the implementation of the PMS.”
Meanwhile, the week-long health awareness programme of the NSITF was brought to a close Thursday at the Shooters Game Centre, Maitama, Abuja with the final match of the Fund’s football league between the Gwagwalada and the FCT Branches of the Fund.
The health week which started Monday with health talks promoted by a health management agency, ProHealth, sensitized staff members on common health issues and stress management at workplace. It also conducted free checks on common ailments.
On the essence of the event, the General Manager, Human Resources of the NSITF, Emeka Offor said the programme was created to promote a healthy workforce, enhance bonding among staff members as way to stimulating optimum productivity. The football match final was later kicked off 4 pm, by the Managing Director of the NSITF, Maureen Allagoa .
