NSS personnel kick against ‘compulsary’ insurance scheme

Some National Service Personnel across the country are challenging the introduction of what they call a compulsory insurance package for them.

According to them, the insurance package, which will see a monthly deduction of GH¢ 15 from their meager allowance, was launched without due consultation with personnel.

The National Service Scheme in partnership with MTN and Glico Life Insurance, earlier this week launched a life insurance cover for the over 90,000 personnel.

Some other benefits of the insurance scheme include free phone calls and text messages among MTN users.

This compulsory insurance package spearheaded by various insurance companies, is expected to pay claims to service personnel who get involved in accidents in their line of duty.

The claims vary from GHc 15,000 in cases of death or incapacitation, and gh3,000 for cases of temporary disability.

As part of the insurance package, National Service personnel are entitled to a GHc 500 loan which is payable within six months.

Service Personnel will also be charged GHc 15 on a monthly basis as insurance deductions for the package.

But the aggrieved National Service Personnel say they did not consent to the roll-out of the scheme, and do not agree to its imposition on them.

One of the personnel, Gyamfi Shadrack Gyasi said, “we are against it. They didn’t sit down with us to gather our views. They don’t know whether some personnel have already gotten a private insurance policy. This is a way to steal from us. GH¢ 15 is too much. If they want to help us with an insurance policy, they should contact the government and do that for us, but not take money from the meager money we earn. We are against it. It must be optional,” he said.

Some of the aggrieved personnel, have threatened to stage a demonstration over the matter.