There are strong indications that Micro Pension Plan(MPP) subscribers in the country will soon get free health insurance cover as part of benefits of subscribing to the micro pension scheme.

To this end, LEADERSHIP learnt that the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has had meetings with health insurance stakeholders, comprising the National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) and some Health Management Organisations(HMOs) on the possibility of procuring this cover for subscribers of the scheme.

Hence, the cost of the annual basic health cover which is about N15,000 per individual, according to findings, would be incurred by PenCom, hence, subscribers will not have to pay for this coverage.

With subscriptions of MPP foot-dragging, the pension industry regulatory body in conjunction with pension fund operators felt there is the need to include health insurance as a form of inducement to persuade more informal sector players to join the plan.

Speaking to journalists during the Special Day event of PenCom on the sideline of the Lagos International Trade Fair at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island, Lagos at the weekend, the acting director general of PenCom, Ms. Omolora Oloworaran, said, the event was a medium to enhance awareness and sensitisation of the Contributory Pension Scheme(CPS) as well as micro pension scheme in a bid to woo more people and businesses to join the scheme.

Oloworaran, who was represented by the Zonal head, PenCom, Southwest Zonal office, Akinsola Adeseun, assured retirees and prospective retirees that they would be paid as and when due as the scheme is fully funded by both the employer and employee.

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