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GES launches group life insurance for workers

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has launched a group life insurance policy, to cater for the needs of both teaching and non-teaching staff of the service in times of unforeseen eventualities.

Dubbed: the GES–SICLIFE Group Life policy, the scheme is a comprehensive plan that covers natural or accidental deaths with a benefit of GH¢18,000, and permanent disability resulting from accident or illness with a benefit of GH¢18,000.

Furthermore, a policy holder, depending on the degree of disability and named illness such as cancer, stroke, major organ transplant or kidney failure, would receive GH¢9,000 while a member, who suffers critical illness that has rendered him or her totally and permanently disabled would receive a full pay-out of GH¢ 18,000.

Additionally, there would be cash drawback of 10 per cent for members, who might not make claims within three years.

Launching the policy in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of the GES, Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa, said it was part of the GES’ commitment to promoting the welfare of its teaching and non-teaching staff.

He indicated that SIC Life Company Limited, which was also the underwriter for the policy, assisted in the education and sensitisation of staff in the country.

Prof. Amankwa explained that over the past year or so, the GES had received reports of staff, who had been involved in accidents or had been critically ill and sought assistance from the service, stressing that “It is for this reason that a policy like this becomes relevant to the staff of the GES.”

Prof. Amankwa noted that exit forms were provided for GES staff who did not want to be part of the policy.

“The default position was to put every staff on this policy and give room for those who may wish to be excluded to opt out of this programme. As at June 15, 2019, about 20,000 staff had submitted exit forms to be excluded from the policy,” he emphasized.

Prof. Amankwa advised that though the policy was not compulsory, GES staff should critically examine their personal circumstances before deciding to either opt out or join the policy. 

The Managing Director of SIC Life, Rev. Dr Mrs Elizabeth Wyns-Dogbe, said last year, her outfit offered a GH¢ 1 million insurance package to the top three Ghana Teacher Prize awardees, adding that “It is in this same spirit that SIC Life is collaborating with the service to extend its operations to all teachers and non -teaching staff.

She said the initiative was a group policy, which covered all teaching and non-teaching staff of the GES; however, it had been made possible for those who do not wish to be part to exit, adding that “So far some of those who exited are asking to be put back on the policy. In good faith we are discussing the possibility of these members to rejoin.”

Mrs Wyns-Dogbe said the policy formed part of the social responsibility of SIC to pay claims to beneficiaries of staff who had passed away under unfortunate circumstances.

Meanwhile the SIC Life Limited has paid claims ranging between GH¢ 9,500 and GH¢18, 500 to beneficiaries of seven policy holders, who suffered from one form or the other eventuality.

They included; the family of the late Somuah Bosompim, the Religious and Morale Education Teacher of the Salvation Army Basic School at Osino in the Eastern region, who was assaulted by a group of youth, which eventually led to his death at the Koforidua Government Hospital about two months ago.

BY CLIFF EKUFUL

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