Int’l Women Day: NSITF’s Ali-Macaulay charges women to be steadfast

By Emmanuel Iriogbe,Abuja.

Executive Director, Operations, at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, (NSITF), Mrs. Mojisolaoluwa Ali-Macaulay, has charged women to be steadfast and unrelenting in their aspirations for full emancipation.

She made the admonition while speaking On the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD).

She also used the occasion to laud the management of NSITF for being women-friendly and for empowering women through appointments as General Managers, heads of departments and units, and regional and branch managers.

Ali-Macaulay made the call while interacting with the female heads of departments at the Fund’s headquarters in Abuja recently , as part of the celebration for IWD.

She said “this year’s theme speaks to women to give in order to gain. What does this mean? It talks about women not relenting in their effort to become whatever they want to become. It’s when you give that you get back. Just the same way farmers sow, then they reap. Women are expected to give more, not to relent, not to be discouraged, but to be steadfast in their
determination to excel.

“This theme also tells women by extension to the girl child out there that
whatever dream that they have, they must give it whatever it takes in order to get the gains in return and that’s what this year’s theme is about. This is year 2026 and it’s also a way of sharpening the minds of
every woman around the world not to despair but to continue to give because it’s only when you give, it’s only when you make the effort that the reward definitely comes back.”

The Executive Director used the occasion to call on Nigerian women to leverage various programmes under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, (ECS) of the NSITF to improve their wellbeing, even as she revealed that the Fund had partnered with the National Directorate of Employment, (NDE) to provide vocational training in various crafts for women.

“NSITF is also doing its best to ensure that women are not lagging behind once the spouse is no longer there. They get those claims and compensation so that the family is well grounded, the children are taken care of, they still go to school, the education is not stopped abruptly as a result of the fatality or incident.

“The woman is not discouraged, she’s not despaired. So, collecting these claims and compensation gives her hope and also empowers her to be able to do
whatever she wants to do”, she stated.

Mrs Ali-Macaulay lauded the management of NSITF for being women-friendly and for empowering women through appointments such that there are apparently more women than men in the Fund’s workforce.

On opportunities for career advancement and growth for women staff of NSITF, the ED said some policies had been formulated to ensure women are not left behind. She specifically emphasized training and up-skilling especially in IT, AI and other necessary areas.

Speaking on her challenges as the only woman ED, Hon Ali-Macaulay said it “came with its pains and its gains. A lot of sacrifice went into this. I didn’t just get it by scholarship. I didn’t just wake up, sleep and wake up and find myself on the fourth floor. We’re talking about over 35 years of the journey of my life to get to where I am today. A lot of tears, blood, sweat has gone down the drain to get to where I am.

“This is speaking to the theme for this year’s IWD. When you give, you definitely will gain. I have given. I’m a woman who has seen, I came, I have seen and I think I conquered.
So I want to encourage all women all over the world watching, not to relent or despair.
To continue to give because when you give, you will definitely gain.”