Jonathan Signs Employees’ Compensation Act Into Law

President Goodluck Jonathan has signed the new Employees’ Compensation Act into law.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Ima Niboro said that the President ‘s decision was a step towards the fulfillment of his promise to provide better working conditions for Nigeria’s labour force.

Niboro, in the statement, said that the new law repeals the Workmen’s Compensation Act of 2004.

The Act was passed by both Houses of the National Assembly late last year.

“Its main objective is to provide a more open and fair system of guaranteed and adequate compensation for all employees or their dependants for any death, injury, disease or disability arising out of or in the course of employment’’

Niboro said the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010 also provided for the establishment and maintenance of a solvent compensation fund managed in the interest of employees and employers.

“It seeks to combine the efforts and resources of relevant stakeholders for the prevention of workplace disabilities as well as the enforcement of occupational safety and health standards,’’ he said.

He said its provisions applied to all employers and employees in the public and private sectors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He added that the implementation of the Act and the management of the compensation fund established under Section 56 of the Act would be overseen by the Management Board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.