Subscribers waiting outside the locked NHIA office
Some subscribers of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the Tamale Metropolis and Sagnerigu District were left stranded on Monday as the offices of the National Health Insurance Authority remained under lock.
An average of 600 subscribers are attended to daily at the metropolitan office in Tamale. Among these are new subscribers and old members who troop to the office to reactivate their subscription to enable them access services under the Scheme.
Subscribers who thronged the office on Monday, Febraury 6 were seen pitching camps at the entrance of the office hoping the office would be opened. Mma Bintu Mahama was visiting for the second time but was disappointed at the development.
“I was here on Friday to renew my card for medical care but I was disappointed because they asked me to return today Monday but I have come to meet the same situation as the office is still locked,” she said.
A group of youth on motorbikes arrived at the premises in what seemed like ensuring it remains locked. Scheme manager Abdul-Salam allayed fears of the stranded clients that the police will ensure that the gates are open.
“The police promised to open the office for work to begin today Monday but as you can see the place is still locked, we serve at least six hundred subscribers daily so you can imagine. I asked my workers to stay off the premises for their own safety.”
There were some workers who reported for work as of the time 3news.com filed this report. The Minority Speaker of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for the Tamale South Constituency, early Sunday mornig visited the offices but expressed his disappointment at the security service for failure to protect citizens.
A police vehicle was, however, on the premises on Monday. “We appreciate the New Patriotic Party’s right to rule but the election wasn’t done through a military coup so as they exercise their right to rule, they should not violate the right of citizens to work.”
At the Tamale Metropolitan Youth Employment Agency Office, an inscription that reads ” OUT OF BOUNDS FOR CURRENT WORKERS, ANYONE WHO OPENS THE OFFICE DOES THAT AT HIS OWN RISK” was boldly written on the walls as that office also remained closed.
