By Samuel Oyadongha
First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s administration commitment to providing accessible and affordable healthcare in Niger Delta communities and other parts of the country that have suffered years of neglect.
Senator Tinubu stated this, yesterday, during the launching of access to health insurance services for the poor and vulnerable people/the commissioning of the cottage hospital and community school renovated by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in collaboration with Renewed Hope Initiative in Otuasega, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The wife of the president, who also flagged -off the commencement of the NDDC 2025 free medical outreach and donation of medical equipment to some health facilities in the Niger Delta region, explained that the introduction of health insurance scheme that is specifically designed to cover rural communities in the Niger Delta would provide thousands of families 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 recall that the NDDC earlier interventions in education provided over 45,000 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.”
Earlier, Managing Director of NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, said the essence of the partnership between Renewed Hope Initiative and NDDC, was 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
In his remarks, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, appreciated the Federal Government for several developmental project executed in the state, especially the award of contract for the second phase of the Nembe-Brass road which is expected to links communities on the Atlantic shores of the state.