By Augustine Ehikioya
To improve staff welfare, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has approved the implementation of a Group Personal Accident Insurance Policy (GPAIP) for all Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel.
This was contained in a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal, Edward Gabkwet, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA).
This policy, it said, aptly tallies with one of the key enablers of the CAS Command Philosophy, which dwells on, ‘Maintaining a highly motivated force by enhancing welfare and infrastructural renewal.’
It said that while several insurance policies administered by the Ministry of Defence and the NAF Investment Limited cover all NAF personnel, “they do not, however, adequately address some hazards and challenges encountered in the course of the careers of personnel.”
The need to review and implement a specialized insurance scheme designed to address the hazards and unique challenges,the statement said, has become imperative.
At a brief agreement signing ceremony with the approved insurance broker, KBC Insurance Brokers Limited, held at NAF Headquarters on 2 January, 2024, it said, Air Marshal Abubakar stated that under the GPAIP, personnel of the NAF will be incenticized to give their utmost best with the assurance of adequate care in the event of disability or death during military operations or any form of accident.
He also noted that the welfare of NAF personnel remains germane to the attainment of his Command philosophy as it helps in boosting morale and contributing to the sustenance of professionalism.
The CAS went further to note that the execution of military operations exposes personnel to diverse levels of hazards with life-altering consequences of fatalities, hence, the need to continuously review existing policies to cater for personnel wellbeing.
The contract with KBC Insurance Brokers Limited, the statement said, aimed to provide compensation for bodily injuries, death, disablement, and payment of medical expenses solely and directly caused by accidentals, external, violent and visible means to any of the insured personnel.
“Furthermore, the scheme will provide compensation to the families of personnel who accidentally lost their lives during operations as well as salary reimbursement of the injured personnel to the NAF in the event of hospitalization.
“The major difference with the new GPAIP and the already existing Group Life Assurance Policy (GLAP) run by the Federal Ministry of Defence is that unlike the GLAP which benefits only the family of personnel in the event of death and does not cater for medical expenses arising from accidents, the GPAIP is all encompassing, benefiting personnel, families in event of death as well as covering medical bills, compensation for temporal or permanent disability and death, among others,” it stated.
