ECS: FG PAYS FIRST COMPENSATION TO FEDERAL CIVIL SERVANTS
Five federal civil servants on Monday received the first compensation payments from the Federal Government for work-related injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities and other incidents suffered in the course of official duty.
The presentation in Abuja marks a major step in the operationalisation of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, ECS, for workers in Treasury-funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the payments show government’s commitment to workers’ welfare under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She described the rollout of ECS for federal civil servants as a “landmark achievement” in public service reform.
“The presentation demonstrates that Government’s commitment extends beyond policy pronouncements to practical support at the point of need. Compensation under the Scheme is a statutory entitlement rather than an act of charity,” she said.
In a statement signed by Mrs. Eno Olotu, Director, Press and Public Relations, OHCSF, Mrs. Walson-Jack stressed that government has a responsibility to ensure no public servant or family is left without support after workplace hazards.
She commended the Managing Director of NSITF, Mr. Oluwaseun Mayomi Faleye, and his team for translating the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010 into tangible benefits.
Mrs Walson-Jack also recalled that OHCSF and NSITF recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding and inaugurated the ECS Help Desk to improve awareness, reporting of workplace incidents and timely processing of claims.
While noting that compensation provides a safety net, the HCSF said “prevention remains the first line of protection” and urged MDAs to comply strictly with occupational health and safety standards.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive of NSITF, Mr. Oluwaseun Faleye, described the event as the maiden presentation of compensation to beneficiaries from Treasury-funded MDAs.
He said it represents a major step in the successful operationalisation of the Act for federal civil servants.
Mr. Faleye reaffirmed NSITF’s commitment to strengthening workplace safety, simplifying claims administration and expanding access to benefits across the Federal Public Service.
The Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Dr. Abdul Sule Garba, said the occasion further demonstrates government’s commitment to protecting employees who suffer injuries, diseases or disabilities while serving the nation.
He described ECS as a critical component of government’s broader social protection framework.
The recipients of the maiden cheques are:
Mrs. Joe Grace Danture – Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, Mr. Uzochukwu Aguomba – Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Olofu Pius Agri – University of Abuja, Mrs. Oyekule Patience Nwakuso – Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and Mrs. Audu Sandra Eyum – Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, (PTAD)
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Joe Grace Danture thanked the Federal Government, OHCSF and NSITF for the timely intervention, describing the compensation as “a source of relief, hope and reassurance to affected officers and their families.”
The presentation marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, and reinforces government’s commitment to building a safe, responsive, welfare-oriented and people-centred Federal Public Service.
