Sekondi, Oct 1, GNA- Members of the Western Regional House of Chiefs have expressed concern about the politicisation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and said it is one of the viable options to enhance health service delivery in the country.

The house called on the government to continue to dialogue with organised labour, the political parties and other stakeholders to ''remove all knotty points" to ensure its smooth implementation. This was the consensus of members at an emergency meeting at Sekondi on Wednesday to deliberate on some national issues.

Members said the recent demonstration organised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) against the government's decision to deduct two-and-a-half per cent of workers' SSNIT contribution to finance the scheme "could have political and economic repercussions". They said the demonstration could send wrong signals to would be investors.

Odeneho Gyapong Ababio, President of the House said the scheme is so important that everything should be done to ensure its implementation and advised the government to give sufficient public education to the people.

He said chiefs should be well educated on the issue so that they could sensitise the people on the importance of it.

Dr. Sylvester Animana, the Regional Director of Health Service who explained the Scheme said the Network of Mutual Health Insurance Organisation that has experience in the health insurance, is ready to help in the implementation of the NHIS.

On the government's plans to evolve a housing scheme for cocoa farmers in the country, members of the house said it is a laudable idea and expressed the hope that it would not "remain on the shelves to gather dust'.

They said it is a demonstration of the government's commitment to ensure the welfare of farmers. "This will make us happy because our contributions and sacrifices towards the national economy is being recognised".

The meeting commended the government for introducing the mass cocoa spraying exercise and said similar assistance should be extended to fishermen, coconut and other crops farmers. On the decision of the government to form a procurement committee for the Electoral Commission (EC) the house advised the government to give the EC free hand to operate.