The National Service Secretariat (NSS) has been dragged to court over its controversial insurance policy for service personnel funded by a ¢15 monthly deductions from their allowances.
In an application for an interlocutory injunction filed at the High Court in Accra, four service personnel want the management of NSS restrained from go ahead with the deductions until the suit is determined.
The four, Solomon Anapansah,Toxla Caleb Elikem, Kwadzodeh Enoch Lelabi and Timothy Donkor, are against the mandatory nature of the policy.
The resort to the courts escalates opposition towards the insurance policy for the personnel launched last October.
The insurance package which took retrospective effect from September 1, 2017, will make GH¢3,000 available to service persons who suffer accidents that will keep them off their duties at user agencies for a month.
Those who suffer permanent or temporary disability through accidents during the service year will also be entitled to GH¢15,000 insurance cover.
In addition, the next of kin of service persons who die while undertaking the mandatory national exercise will receive the same amount from Glico Life.
There will also be free inter MTN calls for service personnel each month. A recharge credit of GHS5 for calls to other networks. Free browsing on Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Instagram, WeChat, Jobberman website, GLICO website.
A 500 free SMS each month, 100% bonus on all MTN recharge made by personnel and a free movie viewing twice a year at Silver Star Cinema(s).
Each of the more than 91,000 personnel would have paid ¢135 by the end of 9-months service period.
It works out as ¢12,402,585 paid to insurance company, Glico.
But resisting the plan, some of the personnel say this insurance package is a misplaced priority at a time when some personnel struggle to find accomodation to fulfil a mandatory one-year service to the country.
“How many people die during national service anyway?…if nothing happens then they will spend it” one of the personnel who is against the policy told Joy News last November.
They believe they are being exploited on an already meagre ¢559 allowance.
Some have described the deductions as nothing but a ‘create, loot and share’ scheme, comparing it to a judge’s description of illegal payment of about ¢51.2million to a businessman Alfred Woyome.
The hearing of the application for the injunction is expected to come off Friday, 15 December 2017.
Source: Myjoyonline
