From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to providing accessible and affordable healthcare to rural communities in the Niger Delta region and other parts of the country who have suffered neglect for years.
The first lady, while speaking during the launching of access to health insurance services for poor and vulnerable people and the commissioning of the cottage hospital and community school done by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in collaboration with Renewed Hope Initiative in Otuasega, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, added that the Federal Government is focused significantly on saving lives and ensure that the various communities receive prompt medical attention when needed in order to reduce health mortality rate in the country.
Sen Remi Tinubu who also flagged off the NDDC 2025 free medical outreach and donation of medical equipments to some health facilities in the region, explained that the introduction of health insurance scheme that is specifically designed to cover rural communities in the Niger Delta will provide thousand of family with access to affordable and reliable medical care.
She said: “I am honoured to be in Bayelsa State after my first visit, and it is a great delight for me to officially flag off the NDDC medical outreach programme, health insurance scheme and the distribution of school desks, benches and textbooks in collaboration with the Renewed Hope initiative, the beneficiaries of this programme are the nine states of the Niger Delta region, namely; Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Rivers, Edo, Imo, Abia and Ondo states, with Bayelsa State graciously hosting us today.
“The NDDC/RHI collaboration began in 2024 to provide further supports in critical areas of development by empowering communities and Improving the quality of lives in the Niger Delta region in line with our renewed hope initiative model towards a better life for families.
“You may recalled that the NDDC earlier interventions in Education provided over forty-five thousand preloaded educational tablets and textbooks to upper primary schools, junior and senior secondary school students in both urban and rural communities in all the NDDC States.
“Also, the NDDC RHI internship scheme has begun disbursing N50,000 monthly stipends to 500 pre-identified beneficiaries for a period of one year in all the nine states, through the office of the state first ladies, this is more like a conditional cash transfer.
“Today, the medical outreach programme which I was told is conducted quarterly is aimed to deliver a special health services directly to the Communities, it will address common health issues, provide preventive care and raise awareness about health concerns that is proportionately affecting rural residents, particularly in the area of maternal and child health, in addition, the donation of 11 fully equipped ambulances along with the supply of personal protective equipments to enhance healthcare delivery and emergency response, health facilities in each NDDC States, will be given one ambulance, while Bayelsa and Delta will be given two ambulances each.
“This contribution is significantly aid in saving lives and ensure that the various communities receive prompt medical attention when needed, also the introduction of health insurance scheme that is specifically designed to cover rural communities in the Niger Delta will provide thousand of family with access to affordable and reliable medical care, that is why the distribution of thirty two thousand school desks and benches to public school will ensure that children learn in more comfortable and conducive environment.
“All these initiatives are in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, particularly the priority area of education, health and social investment which aimed to build a healthiest, more educated and empowered populace.” She said.
Earlier, the Managing Director of NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, said the essence of the partnership between Renewed Hope Initiative and NDDC, is to make sure the commission deliver the dividends of development in the areas of health, education and other social services that affects women and children and the youth in the Niger Delta
He said for the past one month, NDDC has been busy commissioning road projects in the region initiated by the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu.
He said some of the key elements of the NDDC Renewed Hope Vision includes, building partnership which is a projects and programme of specific partnership with public and private institutions are key to boosting the commission’s interventions in infrastructure, transportation, agriculture, health, youth capacity development and will in turn boost regional economy and facilitate sustainable development.
Ogbuku said,other areas are lightning up of Niger Delta, sustainable livelihoods, improved youth capacity and skills base, efficient and cost effective projects, amongst others.
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, appreciated the federal government for several developmental project executed in the state, especially the linking of roads to some coastal Communities.
Diri appealed therefore used the occasion to appealed to president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to not only start the coastal road from Lagos state but should also mobilize contractors to Calabar axis in Cross River state to fast track the project.
