FCTA to deduct 5% workers salary for health insurance

Staff under the FCT Administration will now have five percent of their basic monthly salary deducted for the health insurance programme under the FCT Health and Human Services Scheme (FHSS).

Since the scheme began in September 2009, it has been run as a pilot programme by the FCTA with all its workers and their dependents enjoying free hospital services where they are enrolled.

The latest decision by the administration was announced by Hajiya Nana Buhari, who represented the FCTA permanent secretary during the opening ceremony of the first enrollees’ forum of the programme in Abuja.

She advised all staff to register with the programme, adding that the deduction is mandatory. According to her, what is needed most is advocacy and sensitisation so that the workers will realise the advantages of the scheme.

In his address, FCT Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Ademola Onakomaiya, enjoined FCTA’s employees to come out en mass and enroll into the programme before the enrollees five percent basic monthly salary deductions starts.

He said if 60 percent of FCTA’s workforce has been enrolled as well as funded from only the 10 percent basic salary of the employers’ contributions, then the achievement made by FHSS has been an underestimation considering the healthcare coverage as well as access recorded in the various healthcare providers.

The secretary assured that the informal sector of the scheme will not be left behind as the health secretariat is strategising through so many ways including inviting nongovernmental organisations and funding partners to participate in the Community Based Health Insurance Scheme.