Ogun State pensioners have made a heartfelt appeal to Governor Dapo Abiodun to provide health relief through the National Health Insurance scheme, which would grant retirees a 50% discount on premiums.
According to Waidi Oloyede, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Ogun State, this relief would greatly alleviate the suffering of many pensioners struggling with various ailments due to old age and other factors.
Oloyede who spoke at the Pensioners’ Day celebration held at Abeokuta noted, “The paltry sums are grossly inappropriate to purchase drugs for various health challenges nor meet the demands of the present-day economic realities. We would be happy if your excellency could help with the implementation of this consequential adjustment to ease the pains of the economically battered senior citizens.
“We also wish to bring to your notice that most, if not all the senior citizens battle one health challenge or the other. It is therefore pertinent to say that we, the aged, the senior citizens mostly need such health relief as being provided by the National Health Insurance Scheme.
“We passionately plead that the pensioners be rightly captured on the National Health Insurance Scheme and a further rebate or discount of 50 per cent benefit should accrue to would-be subscribers as such has been allowed the mainstream personnel, the active workforce.”
Ogun State pensioners’ chairman, Waidi Oloyede, praised Governor Dapo Abiodun for addressing unpaid pensions. Abiodun increased quarterly releases from N500m to N2b, culminating in a recent N5.3b payment, demonstrating his commitment to supporting senior citizens.
