Some aggrieved National Service personnel have sued the National Service Secretariat (NSS) and its Executive Director, Mustapha Ussif, over the GH¢ 15 compulsory insurance charges.
The personnel describe the deduction of GH¢ 15 insurance levy from their allowance as “unlawful” and “unreasonable.”
Among the reliefs sought, they are praying the court to compel the National Service Scheme to cease the deductions which took effect from November, 2017.
According to Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, lawyer for the aggrieved National Service Personnel, the personnel have not authorized anybody to enter into an insurance contract on their behalf.
“An insurance contract must have a policyholder who should enter into a contract with the insurance company. Where is the insurance policy, and where is the contract?” he asked.
The personnel argue that the decision to have the insurance programme, was not made by them, neither were they consulted before its implementation, hence deductions must not be made from their meager allowances compulsorily.
Earlier this week, some National Service Personnel petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), over the mandatory insurance package introduced for them by the National Service Secretariat.
According to them, the imposition of the insurance package infringes on their basic human rights since the decisions taken by the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA), does not bind all service personnel.
However, Mustapha Ussif, Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, has denied suggestions that the compulsory insurance package was an imposition on the personnel.
He insisted that the personnel backed the insurance programme, adding that the National Service Personnel Association of Ghana (NASPA), the group which represents service personnel across the country, unanimously opted and approved the insurance policy at its Congress.
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.
By ADR Daily Newsdesk
