The House of Representatives has facilitated a one-year health insurance coverage for members of the House Press Corps under the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), in what officials described as a first-of-its-kind welfare intervention within country’s parliamentary system.
The enrollment, which covers 130 journalists reporting on the activities of the House, was facilitated by the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs.
An FHIS identification card was symbolically presented to the chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps during a ceremony held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Tuesday.
House Spokesman and Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Akintunde Rotimi, attributed the initiative to the leadership of Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, saying the move reflects an institutional culture that prioritises media engagement and capacity building.
According to him, journalists covering the legislature are critical actors in Nigeria’s democratic process and deserve structured welfare support.
“We recognise that the Press Corps works just as hard as we do in amplifying legislative activities.
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“You are critical stakeholders in our democracy, and this initiative is part of our commitment to your welfare and capacity development,” Rep. Rotimi said.
The FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environmental Services, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Baba-Gana Adam, linked the development to the FHIS programme aimed at expanding access to healthcare.
She urged political office holders, corporate organisations, and other stakeholders to emulate the House by sponsoring health insurance premiums for vulnerable citizens as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps, Mr. Gboyega Onadiran, described the intervention as a concrete step toward strengthening journalists’ welfare, while the Chairperson of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, said the gesture reinforces the recognition of journalists as partners in democratic governance.
The insurance package extends beyond accredited correspondents to include parliamentary media aides and executives of the NUJ FCT Council.
The House leadership said the initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability, and institutional collaboration between lawmakers and the media.
