The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has unveiled a health insurance scheme for its members in the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch.
The move is to ensure that the health and well-being of all petroleum tanker drivers on the wheels are catered for.
At the launch of the scheme, NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, while acknowledging the fact that the profession carries inherent risks and dangers, such as accidents, injuries and health-related complications, he said it was a moral obligation as a union to provide them with the necessary support, care and protection they deserve.
“These drivers brave challenging terrains, harsh weather conditions and long hours on the roads, insecurity to ensure the uninterrupted supply of fuel to every nook and cranny of our beloved country.
“Today, we have come together to address this critical need by introducing the health insurance scheme for our petroleum tanker drivers.
“This comprehensive health insurance coverage will ensure that our petroleum tanker drivers have access to quality healthcare services, preventative care and emergency medical attention. Through this scheme, we aim to alleviate financial burdens, provide peace of mind, and guarantee timely medical interventions when needed,” he said.
The National Chairman of PTD, Augustine Egbon, said the scheme would curb the frequent death and incapacitation from minor illnesses that members have faced on the road for years and ensure that the health and well-being of all petroleum tanker drivers on the wheels are catered for.
Urging them to take advantage of the scheme while on the road carrying out their legitimate and essential duties, he added that under the coverage, drivers on wheels would be able to access medical care in hospitals under the Leadway Health Limited Insurance Scheme across the length and breadth of the country whenever the need arises.
Speaking on how the scheme works, Head of Operations, Leadway Health Limited, Gideon Anumba, said NUPENG taking the lead in providing the necessary health insurance coverage for its petroleum tanker drivers at this time was apt, especially as the Federal Government, through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), signed into law, the new NHIA Act that mandates compulsory health insurance coverage for all Nigerians.
He assured that the full health insurance package that was contracted for between both parties was what the drivers would get, adding that it is a roaming scheme irrespective of the state and location where the driver needed their service.
