Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has said his administration is considering putting in place health insurance scheme that will enable the people access affordable and quality healthcare services.
Governor Abiodun stated this when he received in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, management of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, who paid him a courtesy call.
Abiodun pointed out that the scheme would enable the less privileged in the society to have access to quality healthcare without paying much for it.
“They will pay stipends while we give them cards that show they can go to primary health centres and do not have to pay anything and even when they are referred to the tertiary health facilities, they do not have to pay anything. That should help us fund social services better.
“We are investing in primary health centres and tertiary health facilities as well,” he said.
Abiodun said government was currently embarking on the rehabilitation of some township and border town roads through direct labour. He added that fund was the major impediment in carrying out repair of roads in the state.
The governor, who intimated his guests of his administration’s programmes, said 236 primary schools across the state were being rehabilitated.
Earlier, the bank Group Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Yinka Sanni, said his organisation was already partnering government in the health sector as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities.
“We are ready to partner government in the health sector as part of our corporate social responsibilities. We focus on three areas of health, education and empowerment.
“We are looking at the possibility of adopting some primary health centres, especially those that are located near where we do business. We see to that as a way of partnering those that accommodate us to do business. We are willing to do that and we are excited about it.”
Meanwhile, the state government has assured relevant agencies, partners, traders and other stakeholders on trade and investment that the state would hold International Trade Fair in 2020 to boost commerce and promote trade and investment in the state.
Consultant to the governor on Commerce and Industry, Sola Arobieke,gave the assurance during the Ogun State Day, at the just concluded International Trade Fair, at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.
Arobieke said the trade fair, which would be organised in partnership with the Ogun State Council of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA), would be bigger than previous editions, calling on stakeholders to be part of the event.
While assuring that government would continue to stimulate growth of the economy by providing enabling environment for business activities through provision of necessary infrastructure, the consultant said as much as government was concerned about the need for more businesses to spring up in the state, it was also determined to make existing ones grow adequately.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Lydia Fajounbo, called on investors and members of the private sector to partner the government, as the administration was making efforts to move the economy of the state to a higher level.