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Lagos state government says collection of service charge for its health insurance scheme is illegal, dubious

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The Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has condemned the collection of service charges for the enrolment of Lagos State residents on ‘ILERO EKO’, the state’s health insurance scheme, describing it as a dubious and illegal act.

This was made known by the General Manager of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, who said that the agency does not charge any service fee before on-boarding the residents on ILERA EKO, adding that nobody has the authority to collect service charge or fee on behalf of LASHMA from any resident in the State.

Dr. Zamba warned LASHMA enrolment officers, independent or marketing agents, who are perpetrating such illegal acts, to desist immediately, adding that anyone caught would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

She said that the State is committed to ensuring that every resident lives a healthy life and that is why the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had ensured that ILERA EKO premiums are highly affordable and the cheapest so far.

The LASHMA boss reiterated that ILERA EKO basic plan which is the Standard Plan is N8,500 per annum while the family plan for father, mother and four children below 23 years is N40, 000 per annum, adding that the Standard Plus for individuals is N15,000 per annum and N70, 000 per annum for the family plan.

She added that the seniors’ plan is N34,000 for individuals per annum and the couple’s plan is N65,000 per annum.

Dr. Zamba said that to ensure flexibility of premium payment and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the State Government approved ILERA EKO Pay-Small-Small.

She said, “With the Pay-Small-Small payment plan, an individual will pay N1,000 monthly and will commence access to care having paid N3,000 for three months. The family plan payment option is N3,500 monthly and N10,500 for three months. Enrollees are also free to pay the premium either quarterly or bi-annually.’’

Dr Zamba urged Lagos residents not to pay into the personal account of any representative of the Agency, noting that all premium payment for the Lagos State Health Insurance is to be paid to the dedicated Lagos State Health Fund (LASHEF) account.

The General Manager said that premium payment into the LASHEF account can be made through the LASHMA customised POS at the Headquarters, 17, Kafi Street, Alausa, Ikeja, or Divisional Offices and kiosks located throughout the State.

She added that payment can also be made through the LASHMA website: www.lashma.com, the Nibss E-bills platform at any Bank in Lagos State, enrollees’ internet banking app or LASHMA USSD code: 6700006#.*

She said that the Group and Corporate premium payments can also be paid to the LASHEF Account as invoiced by the Agency and urged residents in the State to contact the Agency’s Customer Service numbers: 0800-ASKLASHMA (0800-275527463) or 0700-ILERA EKO (0700-45372356) whenever anyone demands the payment of a service charge or any other suspicious acts regarding ILERA EKO.

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Delta monarch declared wanted over murder of army personnel turns himself in

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Clement Ikolo Oghenerukevwe, monarch of Ewu-Urhobo kingdom in Delta, has reported to the police, hours after the military named him as one of the wanted persons for the murder of 17 army personnel in Okuama.

Bright Edafe, Delta state police spokesperson, confirmed Oghenerukevwe’s surrender to newsmen on Friday.

Edafe said the monarch turned himself in on Thursday.

“We have already handed him over to the military, they were the ones that declared him wanted,” the spokesperson said.

The Defence Headquarters had on Thursday declared Oghenerukevwe among eight persons wanted in connection to the murder of the army personnel.

Among those declared wanted are Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor of physics at the Delta State University; Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, a lady; Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, and Reuben Baru.

Before turning himself in, the monarch released a statement to plead his innocence.

“I am very surprised that my name as the monarch of the kingdom will appear in the list of wanted persons. I have no hand in the killings, I have no hand in encouraging anybody to kill anybody, it is against my philosophy as a human being and my faith as a Catholic,” he said.

“It is a serious crime against humanity and they need to look at the appropriate places and do thorough investigation to know all those who have committed this and bring them to book and let justice prevail.

“I am not a party to this and like I have said earlier, the state government is aware of the turbulence I have been going through and as I speak, an arrangement was made by the government to invite the opponents recently just before this happenings.”

After the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel, Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.

The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of search to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.

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Bus conveying 46 passengers crashes in South Africa – 8-year-old is sole survivor

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Forty-five passengers died on Thursday when a bus conveying them crashed through a barrier of a bridge in South Africa.

Only an eight-year-old child survived accident with multiple injuries.

The bus was said to have caught fire after it fell off a bridge approximately 300km north of Johannesburg in the north-eastern Limpopo province.

BBC reports that the passengers were pilgrims travelling from Botswana’s capital Gaborone to an Easter service in the town of Moria.

The vehicle lost control and went off a bridge on the Mmamatlakala mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken, around 300km (190 miles) north of Johannesburg, according to South African public broadcaster SABC.

Speaking with reporters after visiting the scene, Sindisiwe Chikunga, South Africa’s minister of transportation, said the government will carry out an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time,” Chikunga said.

We continue to urge responsible driving at all times with heightened alertness as more people are on our roads this Easter weekend.”

In his Easter message to South Africans, President Cyril Ramaphosa called on citizens to “do our best to make this a safe Easter”.

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KFC apologises to Gbenga Daniel’s son over discriminatory treatment

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Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Nigeria, an international fast food restaurant chain, has issued an apology to Adebola Daniel, son of Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun state, over discriminatory treatment.

In a statement on its X page on Thursday, the fast-food chain expressed deep regret for the distress experienced by the customer and pledged swift action to address the issue.

On March 27, Daniel posted on his official X page about his experience at the KFC outlet at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) branch.

According to Daniel, the restaurant had stopped him and his family from entering, stating that “no wheelchairs were allowed”.

Following his statement, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on March 28, said it had shut down KFC over discrimination against Daniel.

FAAN instructed KFC management to tender an unreserved apology, in writing, to Daniel, and a policy statement of non-discrimination be written and pasted conspicuously at its door post at MMIA before it resumed operation.

Reacting to the accusation, KFC reiterated its commitment to opposing bias or discrimination in any shape or form, with inclusivity and respect as fundamental principles of its values.

“KFC is unwavering in our stance against bias or discrimination in any form, with inclusivity and respect as non-negotiable pillars of our values,” the company said.

“However, this recent incident has underscored the pressing need for immediate action. We have embarked on efforts to address the situation.

“We deeply regret the frustration and distress experienced by our guest and extend sincere apologies to those affected.

“In response, we are urgently implementing inclusion training for all our employees. This incident is not reflective of our standards, and we will act swiftly to rectify it.

“We are actively exploring actions to equip our team members and restaurants better to ensure that every guest feels genuinely welcomed and that we deliver empathetic customer service that proactively addresses the diverse needs of each guest.”

‘FCCPC CONDEMNS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CONSUMERS’

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) condemned the discrimination against Daniel.

In a statement on Thursday, Adamu Abdullahi, FCCPC’s acting executive vice chairman (EVC) and chief executive officer (CEO), said the commission strongly condemns any form of discrimination against consumers, especially those based on disability.

Abdullahi said the commission would work with relevant authorities to ensure appropriate redress for the aggrieved consumer.

He said the commission would also ensure KFC took full responsibility for its actions.

The EVC said section 17 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) emphasises the obligation to eliminate practices detrimental to competition and consumer welfare to safeguard consumer interests.

Abdullahi said discriminatory actions, such as those witnessed at the KFC outlet, undermined their principles and would not be tolerated.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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