Wa, Nov 27, GNA - Mr Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress, on Thursday described the National Health Insurance Law as "undemocratic in character and inconsistent with the individual's right to choice".
''This is because by the nature of the law, contributors to the SSNIT Pension Scheme will have no choice but to join the district wide health insurance scheme to be set up under the NHIS thereby denying them their right to opt for any of the other alternative health insurance schemes.''
Mr Adu-Amankwah was addressing the Wa District Council of Labour. Under the National Health Insurance Law two-and-half per cent of workers contribution to SSNIT would be deducted to fund the NHIS.
Mr Adu-Amankwah wondered how a government that claims to be democratic ignored the views of organised labour to the promulgation of the Health Insurance Bill into law.
He called on the government to relinquish its grip on the SSNIT so as to allow it to operate as a professional social security organisation.
Mr Adu-Amankwah did not understand why the private sector employers who also contribute to the retirement of their workers do not consider SSNIT as their own in contrast to the government.
