TUC urged to compromise with govt on funding NHIS

Kumasi, Oct. 12, GNA - The leadership of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has been urged to stop opposing the deduction of the two-and-a-half percent of workers contribution to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to be used as seed money for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Mr Edward Akuamoah-Boateng, Asokwa Sub-Metro Council Chairman, who stated this, noted that, most of the agitation for increased remuneration by workers could be attributed to the high medical bills they pay from their salaries.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi on Saturday, he said if the scheme was instituted, it would relieve workers of having to spend a chunk of their salaries on medical bills and thereby reduce the spate of agitation for increased salaries and wages. Mr Akuamoah-Boateng, who is also the assemblyman for Ahinsan, said the government had made it clear that the money would be a loan, which would be repaid, adding that the SSNIT management had also stated that the deductions would not affect workers' pensions.
He said the TUC should enter into dialogue with the government on how to facilitate the implementation of the scheme rather than opposing the use of the two-and-a-half percent SSNIT contributions of workers for the scheme, pointing out that, the bill had already been passed by parliament and more importantly, it had the support of the majority of workers.
"Once the bill has been passed, it will be difficult to stop its implementation," he added, and said the NHIS would impact positively on the lives of not only the Ghanaian worker but also the entire citizenry. Mr Akuamoah-Boateng said what was important at this stage was for the TUC to act in concert with the government to ensure a smooth implementation of the scheme to enable workers to derive maximum benefit from it.
He said since the health of workers was crucial to enhanced productivity and development, there was nothing wrong with the government seeking to use part of their SSNIT contribution to provide affordable quality health care for workers.