By: NASSIT PR
The Director General of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, has been appointed Vice-Chairperson of the Technical Commission on Investment of Social Security Funds by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) for a period of Three years (2020 – 2022).
Congratulating Mr. Fuaad Daboh, the Secretary of the ISSA, Mercelo Abi-Ramia Caetano, stated, “Vice-Chairpersons have an important role in planning and guiding the activities of the Technical Commission by ensuring its focus on priority issues and by contributing to the ISSA overall work programme and objectives”.
According to the letter of offer, Mr. Mohamed Fuaad Daboh is expected to provide technical inputs and support to the Technical Commission’s projects. The Director General has therefore been invited to the 14th Forum for Technical Commissions in Geneva, Switzerland where he is expected to meet Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of all Technical Commissions. The objective of the Forum will be to provide an opportunity for exchange and coordination between them and to develop the work plans of the Technical Commissions for the 2020 – 2022 triennium.
Accepting the letter of offer, the Director General, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh said he was gratified and elated by the appointment, describing it as a recognition of the strides NASSIT has made in the area of providing social protection for the people of Sierra Leone. Mr. Daboh thanked the ISSA Secretary General for the appointment, and promised to spear no efforts in contributing to the dynamics of the investment of social security funds not only by NASSIT, but also by other sister social security institutions in Africa and beyond.
Since the establishment of NASSIT some Eighteen (18) years ago, this is the first time the International Social Security Association, which is the umbrella body for all social security institutions the world over, is appointing a Sierra Leonean in the person of Mohamed Fuaad Daboh as Vice-Chairperson of the Technical Commission on the Investment of Social Security Funds.
This is due to the fact that upon taking over as Director General of the Trust in 2018, Mr. Daboh has worked relentlessly in changing the face of the Scheme both in terms of operations and benefits processing, and also in its investment profile. One thing worthy of note is the fact the Daboh-led administration put operations and benefits payment at the forefront of the Trust’s business as they are the reason for the establishment of the Scheme.
Mr. Mohamed Fuaad Daboh has been able to transform the moribund state of affairs he inherited to an enviable institution which everybody, including staff and the scheme members is now proud of. He introduced the telephone hotlines which provide an opportunity for members of the public to easily contact the Trust with their concerns, queries and suggestions; the pigeon-hole system to effectively monitor benefit claims processing; and the Customer Birthday wish programme which recognises the Trust’s esteemed customers on their birthdays, in addition to organizing the annual Customer Service Week with series of activities and entertainment for the customers, especially esteemed pensioners. He hosted the first press seminar for members of the Fourth Estate at the Golden Tulip Kimbima hotel which served as the catalyst for the good working relationship between the Trust and the media; and the first Employers banquet in which over 150 employers and employing institutions participated and shared their views, opinions and concerns on several issues including compliance.
Under his administration, the Trust is assiduously working on the review of the NASSIT Act No.5 of 2001 to bring it up to speed with contemporary issues on social security. Plans are also well underway for the opening of the fifth Regional Office of the Trust in Port Loko for the Northwest Region in first quarter of this year. “Our presence to service this region will soon start, as we are not only taking our services closer to our customers but also to replicate what has been done in other regions,” Mr. Daboh noted.
Recently, the NASSIT Director General played host to his colleague Directors General of the sister social security institutions of the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and the ISSA Liaison Office for West Africa in Cote d’Ivoire during the commissioning of the Industrial and Social Security Court by the Judiciary of Sierra Leone. He will also be hosting the ISSA Good Governance Workshop for Board members of social security institutions in Africa in March this year.