First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has assured that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu is working towards ensuring that Nigerians live in good health, especially those in rural areas.
This, she said, is being achieved by making sure that various communities receive prompt medical attention when needed arises through which reduces health mortality in the country.
Speaking on Thursday at Otuasega during the launching of 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, she maintained that her husband’s administration was committed to providing accessible and affordable health care to the rural communities in the Niger Delta Region whom she said have suffered neglect for years.
Also flagging off the commencement of the NDDC 2025 free medical outreach and donation of medical equipments to some health facilities in the region, she explained that the introduction of health insurance scheme was specifically designed to cover rural communities in the Niger Delta adding that “it will provide thousands of families access to affordable and reliable medical care.
“I’m 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 recall that the NDDC’s earlier interventions in Education provided over forty-five thousand preloaded educational tablets and textbooks to 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 at delivering 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, there is a donation of eleven fully equipped ambulances along with the supply of personal protective equipment to enhance healthcare delivery and emergency response, health facilities in each NDDC State, which will be given one ambulance each while Bayelsa and Delta will be given two ambulances each.
“This contribution will 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 there is the distribution of thirty-two thousand school desks and benches to public schools, which 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 narrated.
Speaking earlier, Samuel Ogbuku, the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, 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, children and youth in the Niger.
He said all the programmes of the board are embedded under the dividends of renewed hope initiative, adding that rented hope is delivering through NDDC adding that his team has been busy in the last one month past one month, commissioning road projects in the region initiated by the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu.
He said:” The people of the Niger Delta today will allude to the fact that NNDC today is a different NDDC because we have the supervision of the president who always calls to know what is happening on the Niger Delta.
“NDDC may not have told its stories before now; hence a lot of people have the negativities about NDDC but I can assure you that the only government projects you find in most of our rural communities are NDDC projects. Most of these projects were never celebrated, but we are here to tell our own story.”
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, on his part, appreciated the federal government for several developmental projects executed in the state, especially the linking of roads to some coastal Communities.
He said that more collaborations are needed between Niger Delta state governments including his and NDDC to bring more development to the Niger Delta Region.
