Extra contributions will be refunded if beneficiaries so wish -DCE

Nkawie (Ash), Jan 23, GNA- Mr Charles Yeboah, Atwima District Chief Executive, has explained that teachers and other organisations in the district who had contributed additional one per cent of their gross salaries towards the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for the treatment of additional diseases outside those that fall within the scheme, can opt out of paying the additional premium. He said the extra money they paid last year would be refunded to them if they opted out but would be covered by the seed money advanced by the government to cover the common diseases under the scheme. Mr Yeboah was answering a question as to whether those who paid the additional one per cent could get their money back at the people's forum held at Nkawie on Monday.

The DCE said the district assembly would soon constitute the general assembly, which is mandated under the NHIS law to supervise and monitor the scheme in the district.

He said all those who will pay their premiums would be issued with identification cards, which would be recognised in any hospital selected to operate the scheme on behalf of the district assembly for treatment. Answering another question on the disbursement of the poverty alleviation fund posed by Joseph Kwame Appiagyei, an auto electrician, Mr Yeboah said institutions, organisations, groups and individuals who applied would be served.

He, however, advised beneficiaries of the fund to pay back the loans to enable the rest also to benefit from it, since their refusal to repay was posing difficulties for the assembly.

Touching on development projects, Mr Yeboah said the assembly had completed 62 projects within the three years, which include the construction of aqua privy toilets, classroom blocks, offices and sanitary blocks and teachers' quarters.

He assured the people that lazy contractors would be fired while the activities of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) would be monitored for accountability.