Compulsory NSS insurance must be reviewed – NASPA

Some National Service Personnel are asking the National Service Scheme (NSS) to reconsider its decision to compulsorily deduct GH¢ 15 from their allowances for an insurance package.

They want the insurance payment to be optional and not mandatory for all service personnel.

Following the launch of the insurance package earlier in November, the Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Ussif Mustapha, in a circular this week, directed all regional directors to deduct GH¢ 15 from the GH¢559 monthly allowances of service personnel beginning this month.

But speaking to Citi News, the NASPA president for Awutu Senya Municipal, Luis Kwame Anane said the decision is arbitrary and must be reviewed.

“Even though it is a congress decision, all the service personnel are against it. I suggest that the outgoing NSS and the necessary stakeholders listen but if they want to face the outrage of personnel of people picketing and refusing to go to work and cause that mayhem before they react, it will be bad because they need to be proactive.”

“Listen to the voice of the people. When you look at accommodation and employment issues of personnel, delay in [payment of] allowances and all that, they should look at policies that that will address these concerns. That is what they should focus on,” he said.

About the NSS Insurance Package

The NSS partnered with MTN and Glico Life Insurance, earlier this week, to launch the life insurance cover for the over 90,000 personnel.

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 GH¢ 15,000 in cases of death or incapacitation and GH¢3,000 for cases of disability.

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

But some service personnel have kicked against the package, saying that it is being imposed on them. According to them, they were not informed about the package before it was formally launched.

They also expressed disappointment that it was not made optional but compulsory.

Source: Citifmonline