By Samuel Atuluku
Workers in Kogi State are to enjoy the Health Insurance Scheme for three months, beginning from the eighteenth of this month.
State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Amari Gabriel stated this on Thursday in Lokoja while speaking with Our Labour Corespondent.
Comrade Amari said there will be fifty percent deduction subsequently from the three percent which is the monthly total deduction for the scheme.
According to him, the full deduction would commence as soon as the new national minimum wage is approved and implemented.
The Kogi NLC Chairman however explained that Local Government workers are to be exempted for now due to some technical reasons, stressing that, the package for pensioners would also be made known as soon as that of public sector begins.
Comrade Amari described the health insurance scheme as laudable, noting that it has come when workers are faced with serious financial difficulties, including high cost of medication.
“Let me emphatically say that this health insurance scheme is timely, coming at a time when workers are not finding it easy. So we commend government for this as workers will now have a little relief in terms of health”, he stated.
Recall that the organized labour in Kogi State had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, with Kogi State Government towards ensuring the successful implementation of the scheme.
