By: Odie Ramon, Yenagoa.
First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has promised that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to providing accessible and affordable to rural communities in the Niger Delta region and other parts of the country who have suffered neglect for years.
Senator Tinubu, 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 on Thursday, added that the federal government focused is significantly aid in saving lives and ensure that the various communities receive prompt medical attention when needed to reduce health mortality rate in the country.
The first lady who also flag off the commencement of the NDDC 2025 free medical outreach and donation of medical equipment to some health facilities in the region, explained that the introduction of a health insurance scheme that is specifically designed to cover rural communities in the Niger Delta will provide thousand of the family with access to affordable and reliable medical care. She also performed the commissioning of the expanded Otuasega Community Secondary School and Otuasega Cottage Hospital, as well as the unveiling of a prototype model for the construction of Senator OluremiTinubu’su Mother and Child Amenity Ward/building.
She said: “I am honored 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 program, health insurance scheme, and the distribution of school desks, benches and textbooks in collaboration with the Renewed Hope initiative, the beneficiaries of this program 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 support 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 recall 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 program which I was told is conducted quarterly is aimed to deliver special health services directly to the Communities, it will address common health issues, provide preventive care, and raise awareness about health concerns that are 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 significantly aids in saving lives and ensures that the various communities receive prompt medical attention when needed, also the introduction of a health insurance scheme that is specifically designed to cover rural communities in the Niger Delta will provide thousand of the 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 a 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 delivers the dividends of development in the areas of health, education, and other social services that affect women and children and the youth in the Niger Delta
He said for the past month, NDDC has been busy commissioning road projects in the region initiated by the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu.
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, appreciated the federal government for several developmental projects executed in the state, especially the linking of roads to some coastal Communities.
