By Alimatu Jalloh
The Director General of the National Social Security Insurance Trust (NASSIT), Fuad Daboh, has highlighted his institution’s progress and commitment to providing workers and their families with security.
He was speaking at a media cocktail on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at the Freetown International Conference Centre.
He reminded the audience that NASSIT was established by the National Social Security and Insurance Trust Act No. 5 of 2001 to administer a pension scheme designed to provide retirement benefits and address the contingency needs of workers and their dependents.
Since his appointment, Fuad Daboh noted, he has prioritized the core reasons for NASSIT’s establishment, focusing on operational efficiency and benefits payments.
He said that under his stewardship, Insured membership of the scheme has grown to 304,688 members, with a cumulative pension roll of 32,100 individuals as of October 2024.
He said that pensioners are now paid on or before the 25th of every month, ensuring financial stability and comfort for retirees and their families.
Fuad Daboh mentioned that NASSIT has undergone significant digital transformation, with a revamped ICT system and the launch a platform to enhance service delivery and communication.
The said that the institution has opened a regional office in Port Loko and constructed a new district office in Moyamba to increase accessibility.
Additionally, Daboh highlighted the near completion of the SEWA Ground Market Development Project. This socially targeted investment initiative aims to support self-employed individuals and small-scale entrepreneurs, reducing street trading in key areas of Freetown.
The Director General also touched on NASSIT’s efforts to extend social security coverage to informal sector workers and the self-employed, an initiative that began in 2005. He acknowledged that initial attempts at voluntary participation yielded limited results due to the scheme’s lack of appeal to informal workers. However, with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2020, significant strides have been made toward designing and operationalizing a more inclusive scheme.
Fuad Daboh called on the media to comply with the NASSIT Act No. 5 of 2001. He announced that moving forward, payments to media institutions would require the submission of NASSIT clearance certificates, NRA tax certificates and valid registration documents.
“Compliance with statutory obligations is not negotiable,” Fuad Daboh emphasized. He called on the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) to encourage its members to register their employees and ensure contributions are paid on their behalf.