By Our Correspondent
UNREMITTED BCOS OYSHIA DEDUCTIONS
Workers of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) are facing renewed concerns over access to healthcare under the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) scheme, with some members of staff reportedly unable to access their healthcare packages.
The concern became more pronounced after an affected BCOS worker received an email from OYSHIA informing him that his enrolment had been rejected because there was “no deduction list” for his Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA).
The notification, referenced OYS/4841, advised the worker to visit the nearest OYSHIA office for clarification and make the necessary corrections before resubmitting the application.
The development has triggered anger and frustration among some BCOS workers, who are now questioning the status of deductions reportedly made from their salaries for the health insurance scheme.
“Why are we paying for a service we cannot access?”
For some workers, the issue goes beyond an administrative problem with the OYSHIA portal.
One staff member, who spoke anonymously, said the matter had previously been raised within the union, arguing that workers should not continue to have deductions made from their salaries if the corresponding remittances are not being properly reflected.
“We can demand for stoppage of further deductions of OYSHIA levies from our salaries or write relevant government agencies to wade in. Members of staff are not benefitting from the scheme because their deductions were not remitted,” the worker said.
The staff member stressed that raising concerns about workers’ welfare should not be interpreted as an attack on management.
“This is not anti-management. Am I supposed to keep quiet when management is inflicting multiple injuries on my survival and that of my family members? Certainly not!”
Another affected worker simply said: “Myself don’t have the access. Only God save me.”
The comment reflects the anxiety among workers who fear being left without healthcare protection when they need it most.
Union had raised the issue, says former RATTAWU chairman
Former Oyo State Chairman of the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Comrade Abiodun Olanlokun, described the situation as unacceptable and questioned why workers should continue to contribute to a scheme they cannot access.
According to him, the union had previously raised the matter with BCOS authorities.
“Why should we continue to pay every month on such deduction that is not remitted accordingly and/or appropriately?” Olanlokun asked.
He said the matter was among issues that had generated tension between labour representatives and management, alleging that some union members had faced queries, transfers, reprimands and other forms of victimisation after raising concerns about workers’ welfare.
“These are issues that should concern everybody because health is involved,” he said.
Olanlokun further questioned the purpose of the health insurance scheme if workers are unable to access its services when required.
“The purpose of this lofty idea and benefits accruable on this Health Insurance Scheme is defeated if we cannot access its services at the appropriate time.”
“Anything on health should not be treated with levity”
The former RATTAWU chairman appealed to BCOS management to listen to the concerns being raised by organised labour and take steps to resolve the situation.
“If our welfare is truly paramount before the authority, this is the time to adjust and do the needful.”
He urged workers to continue appealing to management to address the issue, stressing that the matter should not be allowed to degenerate further.
Quoting a Yoruba saying, he added:
“A kii ba ni tan, ka fa ni n’tan ya.”
He explained that workers cannot continue to endure an ugly situation simply because they are officially connected as colleagues and members of the same organisation.
“We must eschew this spate of continuous deprivation of our ‘rightful rights’. Anything on health should not be treated with levity.”
Where are the deductions?
At the heart of the growing concern is a straightforward question: Where are the OYSHIA deductions of affected BCOS workers, and why are some of those workers now being told that there is no deduction list for their MDA?
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If deductions have been made from workers’ salaries, affected employees deserve to know whether the money was remitted, when it was remitted, and why their names are reportedly absent from the records being used by OYSHIA.
If deductions were not remitted, workers deserve an explanation.
And if the problem is an administrative or documentation failure, the relevant authorities should urgently reconcile the records and restore access to eligible workers.
This is particularly important because healthcare is not a benefit that can simply be postponed indefinitely. A worker who becomes ill cannot afford to wait for an administrative dispute between institutions to be resolved before receiving medical attention.
A matter for urgent intervention
The latest complaints have also renewed calls for intervention by relevant government agencies to establish what happened to workers’ OYSHIA contributions and ensure that eligible BCOS employees regain access to the scheme.
For BCOS workers, the issue is becoming another major welfare concern at a time when many are already facing anxieties over their employment conditions and other statutory deductions.
The authorities must therefore move beyond assurances and establish the facts.
Were deductions made?
Were they remitted?
For what period?
Why are affected workers missing from the OYSHIA deduction list?
And who is responsible for resolving the discrepancy?
These are questions that deserve clear and transparent answers.
The controversy should not be allowed to become a battle between management and labour. At its core, it is a workers’ welfare and healthcare issue.
BCOS workers should not have to choose between keeping quiet and protecting their families’ access to healthcare.
Where workers’ money is deducted for a specific purpose, there must be accountability. And where healthcare is concerned, there should be no room for complacency.
Chapel Deductions and Questions Over Religious Welfare Funds
Beyond the concerns surrounding healthcare deductions, BCOS workers are also questioning the alleged non-remittance of Chapel deductions made from members’ salaries for the running, maintenance and religious activities of the Chapel.
If BCOS Management under Mrs. Dotun Olaitan previously labelled Isese as controversial, workers are now asking whether the alleged non-remittance of funds voluntarily contributed and deducted from staff salaries for Chapel upkeep is also considered contrary to BCOS tradition. Or, more pointedly, has it become controversial to remit funds belonging to workers and meant for the maintenance and smooth running of their religious activities?
The question remains: Where are our Chapel and OYSHIA deductions?
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