The Director General of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust intends to penetrate the country’s informal sector workers, such as petty traders, bike riders and artisanal workers, etc. These groups, he noted, account for over 85% of the population.
Mr. Daboh added that the current design of the Scheme has not provided for the involvement of this sector of the population, noting that their participation in the Scheme is less than 1%.
The Benefits Division of the Trust, during a presentation to the press quite recently in Freetown, have noted that the Operations Division is challenged in terms of staffing as it has inadequate number of inspectors to monitor over 14,700 registered establishments across the country and over 215,000 insured members.
The Division, according to the presentation, only has 44 inspectors. It was also disclosed that the Operating Software upon which the activities of the division are anchored is also seriously challenged thereby posing problems in the maintenance of membership data.
They have also cited issues such as non-registration of establishments, especially small employers and employees therein, understating amount of employees, non-submission or submission of incorrect contributions, amongst others, as some of the critical challenges facing the Operations Department.
The new Director General has also indicated his commitment to strengthening the Operations Division by empowering the inspectors with motorcycles to be able to effectively monitor. He has also placed emphasis on the customer for which, according to him, the Trust primarily exists. The Trust is also keen on solving the acute student accommodation problem with the building of student hostels in five higher tertiary institutions in the country.
NASSIT DG Keen On Penetrating Informal Sector
