By Janet A. Sesay
The National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) has on Thursday, 15 November, 2024 organized a press cocktail where they explained their successes for the pass years as an institution
The event took place at the Freetown Conference Centre at Aberdeen and the purpose of the occasion was to create a social environment with media practitioners for a work well done with NASSIT over the years.
The event served as an opportunity for stakeholders to come together and celebrate NASSIT’s achievements while looking ahead to a promising future.
With a focus on operational efficiency and benefit payments, NASSIT continues to strive towards its mandate of providing support and security to workers and their families.
The Executive Secretary of the Independent Media Commission, Khalil Kallon in his welcome address, extended his gratitude to NASSIT for organizing a platform that underscores the importance of collaboration and dialogue between NASSIT and the media. He acknowledged the important role the press plays in society in ensuring transparency, accountability, and a continuous flow of communication to the public.
Mr. Kallon noted that NASSIT is an essential partner in the endeavor to safeguard the social and economic well-being of the people, adding that the gathering is a testament to the strength of their partnership, mentioning that it is an opportunity to enhance mutual understanding, deepen collaboration, and secure their shared commitment to fostering a well-informed society, and described the media as an institution that creates the platform for wider citizen information and education to ensure a more transparent society and ultimately, a stronger Sierra Leone.
The Director General of NASSIT, Fuad Daboh, in his statement expressed his gratitude to all the attendees for honoring the invitation to the cocktail event organized for members of the press.
He emphasized the importance of the partnership between their institution and the media in fostering understanding and support for the organization’s programs, particularly in the area of information dissemination.
Director Fuad further stated that NASSIT was established by the National Social Security and Insurance Trust Act No. 5 on 20th July 2001 as a statutory public trust, adding that it is charged with the responsibility of administering a low-pension scheme.
Director Daboh noted that NASSIT also provides retirement and other benefits to meet the contingency needs of workers and their dependents and so therefore cited the NASSIT Act No. 5 of 2001, which says the scheme is compulsory for all workers in the formal sector.
He added that the same Act makes provisions for voluntary membership for those in the informal sector and the self-employed.
The director further expressed that since his appointment by President Julius Maada Bio to lead the institution, he has spared no effort in ensuring that the reason why NASSIT was established is realized, adding that In the last few years, they have focused their attention on operations and benefits payments as they are the primary reasons for which NASSIT was established.
He highlighted the institutions achievements under his leadership, including a growth in total insured membership to 304,688 members and a cumulative pension roll of 32,100 individuals as of October 2024.
He revealed that pensioners are paid on or before the 25th of every month to ensure that they and their families live a comfortable life.
Furthermore, Daboh discussed NASSIT’s commitment to enhancing customer service through the implementation of NASHIP, a platform that facilitates communication with members through various channels, including social media. He added that NASSIT has undergone a massive transformation in its ICT system to enhance service delivery and customer interaction.
He said this comes as part of the organization’s commitment to modernize its operations and keep up with the digital age we are currently living in.
He also highlighted the importance of ensuring timely payments of benefits to clients and beneficiaries, as delays can have negative social and economic impacts.
He said to address this issue, the organization established Project 54 which means to engage with customers aged 54 to 59 years and ensure their data is accurate for retirement benefits.
In addition to improving customer service, director Daboh stated that the ICT transformation at NASSIT will also have far-reaching implications for the public sector as a whole, adding that the revamped system sets a precedent for other government agencies to follow by promoting efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness in government operations. He further mentioned that NASSIT has also expanded its presence in the Northwest region by opening a regional office in Port Loko and constructing a new district office in Moyamba, adding that these efforts aim to enhance access to NASSIT services and build trust in public institutions.
He pointed out that the SEWA Ground Market Development Project, a socially targeted investment initiative, is nearing completion with the aim of providing a platform for the informal sector, especially self-employed and small-scale entrepreneur, adding that once operational, the project is expected to reduce street trading in prominent Central Business District streets.
He furthered that SEMCO, a subsidiary of NASSIT, will manage the facility and has already begun implementing administrative arrangements for operationalization.
“Efforts to expand social security coverage to the informal sector and self-employed individuals began in 2005, but initially they are focusing on encouraging voluntary participation in the existing pension scheme designed for formal sector workers,” Mr. Daboh stated.
Director Daboh also acknowledged the crucial role of the media in promoting social security awareness, the commitment of president Bio, and highlighting the need for compliance with the NASSIT Act.
He also emphasized the importance of media support in advancing social security initiatives, adding that despite efforts to engage stakeholders, a significant level of non-compliance with the 2001 Act was noted, prompting a call for adherence to statutory obligations for media engagement.
He thanked the media for the support while underscoring the importance of scheme membership.
He ended by saying that the institution will no longer be making payments to media institutions for publication that do not comply with statutory obligations and in order to receive payment, media organizations must provide NASSIT clearance certificates, NRA tax certificates, and valid registration certificates.
He emphasized the importance of adhering to the country’s regulations and called on the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) to encourage its members to register their employees and pay contributions on their behalf.
He reiterated their commitment to values of respect, accountability, transparency, and excellence and urged media institutions to comply with the necessary regulations to continue receiving payments from the organization.
The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasrallah, emphasized the importance of media owners and employers complying with the law regarding pay, NASSIT dues, and registration. He stressed that they are not above the law and must set an example by following regulations.
Nasrallah expressed gratitude to NASSIT for their collaboration with the media and highlighted the mutual respect, trust, and confidence between the two entities.
He emphasized the role of journalists in providing accurate information to the public about NASSIT’s operations and benefits, in order to promote informed decision-making.
He assured NASSIT of the media’s continued cooperation and support, pledging to hold them accountable in a responsible manner and to assist in promoting their programs.
The Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah commended NASSIT for its exemplary relationship with the media.
He highlighted NASSIT as a model institution that understands the importance of engaging with the media as partners in development.
Minister Bah further that the significance of proactive partnership and the proactive disclosure of information as essential tools for effective engagement with the media.
He praised the leadership of the institution for their vision and commitment to media partnership.
He acknowledged NASSIT’s efforts in providing quality information and fostering positive and constructive media coverage of their work.
The Minister encouraged other government institutions to emulate NASSIT’s approach to media engagement and highlighted the benefits of a transparent and open relationship with the media.
He expressed gratitude to the media for their partnership and highlighted the importance of press freedom.
The Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Mohamed Rado Swaray, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to meet with media institutions at the cocktail event.
He reminded everyone the importance of complying with the NASSIT Act No. 5 of 2001, which mandates employers to register their institutions and employees with NASSIT and pay contributions on their behalf.
Minister Swaray furthered that the need for media institutions is to ensure the social security protection of their employees by registering and paying their social security contributions. He warned that punitive actions will be taken against those who fail to comply with the law, as doing business with NASSIT now requires a valid Social Security clearance certificate, NRA tax code, and registration certificate.
The Minister also called on the media to be on the side of the law and urged the Independent Media Commission and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists to ensure that workers in the media are protected.
He highlighted the challenges that many media practitioners face upon retirement or in case of old age, invalidity, or death, and stressed the importance of providing dignified and respectable lives for employees through social security contributions.
He also urged the media to change the narrative by respecting the law and ensuring the protection of their employees and called on all media organizations and individuals to comply with social security laws and contribute to a better future for workers in the industry.