Army chief directs immediate enrollment of personnel, families in NHIS

Taoreed Lagbaja, the chief of army staff, has directed the immediate enrollment of personnel of 231 battalion and 331 artillery regiment and their families into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

In a statement on Friday, Onyema Nwachukwu, the army’s public relations director, said Lagbaja gave the directive while assessing the Abogo Largema military cantonment units in Biu, Borno state. 

Onyema said Lagbaja directed that the personnel and their nuclear families should be enrolled on the NHIS under the cantonment’s medical reception station (MRS).

He said the enrollment decision was to enable the personnel and their families to have access to free medical care.

He added that the number of beneficiaries per family would depend on the number of enrollees.

He said the chief of army staff also promised to address the challenge of the infrastructure deficit in the cantonment.

According to Onyema,  Lagbaja also appreciated the officers and soldiers of the units for their service to the nation in ensuring peace and stability in their area of responsibility.

He informed the troops that “the federal government is making efforts to clear the backlog of beneficiaries of the group life insurance scheme and the Nigerian Army Personal Accident Assurance Scheme’’.

He told the troops that the challenges of inadequate and dilapidated accommodation, as well as decaying infrastructure, were receiving earnest attention across formations and units of the Nigerian army.

He urged them to reciprocate the government’s interventions by remaining dedicated, disciplined and loyal to the constitution and government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.