Why junior staff can’t enjoy NHIF

Taita-Taveta County Government owes its staff millions of shillings in remittances of most statutory payments and deductions.

Kenya County Government Workers Union branch officials said the county administration owes employees especially junior staff, more than Sh123 million in arrears, which had not been remitted to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) account.

Other statutory deductions yet to be remitted include the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the Local Authorities Provident (LAP) Fund and gratuity.

“The county has not been remitting statutory deductions like NHIF for junior staff for quite some time. It owes NHIF more than Sh123 million. Following non-remittance of these deductions, hospitals have been turning away county staff,” said union branch Secretary Freygod Shwashwa.

He said the medical scheme was started by the former administration and was later suspended by the current one.

“We have held several meetings with the executive but in vain. We are still waiting for the county government to clear the arrears so that junior staff can access medical services. The administration has not been sensitive to plight of the junior staff that forms the bulk of the workforce,” he said Friday.