FCTA recommends enrolling retirees in health insurance

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has ordered the FCT Health Insurance Scheme director to register his retirees in the scheme.

This comes a few days after the Nigerian Tribune reported how retirees in the Federal Capital Territory began a peaceful protest in numbers at the entrance of the Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration on Thursday, January 26, 2023, demanding unpaid 33 months of pensions which the administration owes them.

FCTA Permanent Secretary, Adesola Olusade, gave the directive during a meeting with the officials of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, FCT chapter.

This is stated in a statement issued last weekend by the director of FCTA Human Resource Management, Bashir Muhammad.

It explained that the Permanent Secretary’s decision was to give the retired staff a sense of belonging and adherence to the pledge they made in December 2022 with FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello.

The explanation reads in part; “We have indicated that all FCTA retirees must be enrolled in FCT health insurance, and registration is ongoing, forms have been issued for the retirees to complete so they will be recorded”

The statement said the FCT administration owes its retired staff only the resulting increase resulting from minimum wage implementation.

“What the FCTA owes the retirees is the resulting increase that comes from implementing the minimum wage, we are working on it. The budget processes must be completed”

On the zero balance payment, the statement said: “FCT’s pensions department is also working with the retirees to ensure that everyone whose money has been withheld is paid, they were given one week to complete the process.

“The FCT administration has been commended for not owing its retirees. The only issue is between the bank and the ensuing raise accrued as a result of the introduction of the minimum wage.”