…as the Guild relaunches health insurance scheme

By Nnamdi Ojiego 

To stem the growing trend of practitioners soliciting financial assistance 

whenever they have   health challenges, the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, in partnership with Medicard Health Management and Universal Insurance, has re-launched a health management and insurance scheme for its members.

The AGN also inaugurated the new members of the National Executive Committee, NEC, that would pilot the affairs of the guild in the next three years.  

Speaking during the launch of the health insurance scheme and unveiling of the new exco members in Lagos, the National President of AGN, Emeka Rollas Ejezie, emphasised the need for actors to take their health seriously.

Rollas, who was sworn in for a second term in office, said it was so discouraging to note the apathy and lackadaisical attitude guild members had shown toward welfare packages including their health issues.

He said: “We are in the process of making the guild more supportive and beneficial to our members. The underlying philosophy of our tenure would be hinged on membership development, structural projects especially AGN national secretariat in Abuja, training and capacity development, youth programs, health education, and award & reward programs.

“The issue of health and wellness of members is very key to this administration because health is the most important aspect of our life. There is nothing more important than health for any human being. This fact made us to introduce a special retail health management scheme with Medicard Ltd., in the year 2020.

“We have so far enrolled some indigent members on the scheme through the support of the Chairman of the Board of National Patrons, Chief Ned Nwoko in 2021 and ROK TV. We are relaunching this scheme for the benefit of our members. We are also in partnership with Universal Insurance, providing group on-set cover for members in cases of emergency.”

The AGN boss added that the  guild had designed a week-long health and wellness sensitization programme aimed at creating awareness to enable members enroll on the health management scheme and insurance policy.

He disclosed that the guild had slated  February 11, 2023, for a health walk and free medical checks at the Teslim Balogun Stadium from 7a.m to 5p.m. According to him, the event would also feature health management and insurance renewals, lectures, healthy and complete diet tutorials, among others.

While assuring that his administration would not fail in its oversight responsibilities to drive the process of ensuring that members become more efficient, Rollas called on the federal and state governments as well as the organized private sector to help invest in capacity building in the motion picture industry to enable practitioners tap into the unlimited opportunities that abound in the sector.