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Reps Move To Sanction Private Firms Flouting Health Insurance Law.
The House of Representatives has urged the strict enforcement of compliance with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, 2022, mandating private companies to provide health insurance coverage for their employees.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to Nivo News, the call came after lawmakers adopted a motion titled “Need to Enforce the Compliance of the Provision of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMO) in Private Companies,” sponsored by Hon. Felix Uche Nwaeke during Thursday’s plenary.
Presenting the motion, Hon. Nwaeke decried the increasing disregard of the NHIA Act by many private establishments across the country, noting that numerous employers have failed to enroll their workers in accredited Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) as required by law.
He emphasized that the NHIA Act, 2022, makes health insurance mandatory for all Nigerian employees in both public institutions and private organisations with more than five staff members. The law also empowers the NHIA to accredit and regulate HMOs to ensure employees have access to affordable and sustainable healthcare plans.
Nwaeke explained that under the Act, employers are obligated to contribute 10 percent of an employee’s basic salary, while the employee contributes 5 percent, totaling 15 percent, to fund healthcare services. He lamented that many private companies have neglected these obligations, leaving their staff vulnerable to financial distress and health risks during medical emergencies.
He warned that such non-compliance not only undermines the spirit of the NHIA Act but also strips workers of their legal right to quality healthcare. “The refusal of employers to enroll staff into any healthcare plan leaves many workers to their fate in times of sickness, with no institutional support,” he said.
Following the debate, the House directed the National Health Insurance Authority to immediately compile data on defaulting companies and impose appropriate sanctions on violators. It also mandated the House Committee on Healthcare Services to ensure full implementation of the Act and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
Lawmakers stressed that enforcing compliance will enhance workers’ welfare, strengthen the national health insurance system, and reduce the strain on public health facilities. The motion, which received overwhelming support, was described as a timely step toward ensuring accountability and improving access to healthcare for Nigerian employees in the private sector.
With this resolution, all eyes are now on the NHIA to take decisive action against erring companies and guarantee that every eligible private-sector worker benefits from the mandatory health insurance scheme.
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to participate across accredited centres.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The exam, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will run from April 16 to April 22 in multiple daily sessions.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged examination officials to remain highly committed and professional, noting that the success of the exercise depends largely on their dedication.
He gave the charge during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the examination, where he also praised staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in the successful conduct of the mock exam.
Oloyede said many of the issues recorded during the mock exercise were due to poor assessment of centres by some technical officials.
He further stated that incentive packages would be awarded to teams that perform exceptionally, particularly in handling exam materials and submitting timely reports.
Reiterating JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on malpractice, he warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.
He also disclosed that biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed to protect the integrity of the exercise.
Candidates whose biometrics cannot be verified, he added, will be rescheduled to write the exam at approved centres.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent monitoring proceedings at Aduvie International School, Jahi, reported that the first session scheduled for 8:30 a.m. began slightly behind schedule at about 8:40 a.m.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, on Thursday inspected security deployments at Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the inspection is part of proactive measures to ensure a smooth, peaceful, and hitch-free conduct of the ongoing examinations.
The UTME is scheduled to run nationwide from April 16 to 18, 2026.
During the exercise, CP Sanusi assessed security arrangements put in place to safeguard candidates, examination officials, and CBT facilities.
He also engaged with centre supervisors, assuring them of adequate security presence throughout the examination period.
Adeh added that the CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order, warning that any attempt to disrupt the examinations would be met with decisive action in line with the law.
Over 700 former terrorists who have undergone deradicalisation and rehabilitation are set to be reintegrated into their communities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Nigerian military has also dismissed reports alleging that beneficiaries of Operation Safe Corridor are being recruited into military institutions.
According to African Independent Television, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier-General Yusuf Ali, made this known during a media tour of the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre in Gombe, North-East Nigeria.
He said many Nigerians still misunderstand the Federal Government’s structured counter-terrorism initiative, which is designed to restore peace in communities affected by insurgency.
Brigadier-General Ali explained that the programme focuses on rehabilitation and peaceful reintegration of repentant individuals into society.
During the tour, some of the participants also shared accounts of their involvement in offences that led to their admission into the programme.
The facility inspection was part of preparations for the graduation of over 700 clients who have completed the deradicalisation and rehabilitation process and are set for reintegration.
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