By Michael Oche
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the proposed Nigeria Social Security Trust Fund (NSSTF) Bill currently before the National Assembly, describing it as a calculated attempt to erode the tripartite governance structure that safeguards workers’ social security funds.
In a letter addressed to President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Congress warned that it would direct all workers and their unions to cease and desist from further deductions and remittances to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) if the Bill is passed into law.
In the letter signed by NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the workers’ organisation argued that the proposed legislation is “not a reform but a brazen and unpatriotic act of class warfare,” designed to strip workers of their rightful voice and hand over control of the Fund to political appointees.
The Congress said the Bill undermines the principles of tripartism enshrined in international labour conventions, particularly ILO Convention 144 on Tripartite Consultation.
Ajaero accused the Senate of abandoning long-delayed labour administration reforms in favour of what he called a “regressive and anti-worker diversion,” warning that the Bill’s provisions would pave the way for political interference, mismanagement, and possible diversion of workers’ contributions.
“The NLC stands ready to mobilize its entire membership and ally with civil society to resist this attempt to hijack our collective social security,” Ajaero declared, urging the Senate to immediately withdraw the Bill and prioritize the transmission of the tripartite-reviewed labour laws instead.
He said, “The core of our grievance lies in the Bill’s sinister design to dismantle the tripartite governance structure of the current Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund Act (NSITF) of 2004 and Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA) of 2010.
“This structure, which ensures balanced representation for Government, Employers (NECA), and Labour (NLC), is the only safeguard that prevents the state from treating the Fund as its political slush fund. The proposed Bill, in a dictatorial stroke, replaces this collective trusteeship with a government-heavy Governing Board, effectively handing over the keys to the workers treasury to political appointees.This is a catastrophic and unacceptable dilution of workers’ voice.
“By reducing the NLC’s representation and creating an artificial majority for the government bloc, the Bill seeks to silence the very people for whom the Fund exists.”
“Our representation on the Board is non-negotiable. We demand not a reduction, but an enhancement of workers’ representation to three seats to reflect the collective strength of the working class.
“The sanctity of the tripartite structure must be preserved. The principle of equal voice for Government, Employers, and Labour is the bedrock upon which the Fund stands.”
