THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
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Lawmaker launches NGO for challenged pupils •Continued from Page 17 missions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). I felt that if these students are assisted one way or the other to be able to go to school, definitely, that will enable them to develop their own innate skill and the sky will be the limit for such children.” She stated that the foundation though, though launched in Abuja, is based in Ogbomoso. “The catchment area really is Oyo and Ogbomosho. But within my constituency, we have the Igbo and Hausa and we have people from all over the country. They would benefit as well. It’s a national organisation. It’s not limited to the Yoruba alone. “This is just the beginning. It may just become international as we go along. Right now, it’s a national organisation. Senator Isaiah Balat, who represented the Vice-President noted that the effort of the Majority Leader in bringing the NGO to light shows a paradigm shift in the leadership mentality in the country. He enjoined those present to contribute their quota to support the
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ABOUR leaders in Plateau State have been urged to encourage their members to embrace the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure quicker access to healthcare services for them and members of their families at almost no cost to them. Speaking in Jos at a two-day interactive forum with Labour leaders, the North Central Zonal Coordinator of the Scheme, Alhaji Alkali Ibrahim equally urged the workers to join. The forum was organised by the North Central Zone of the Scheme. Alhaji Ibrahim reiterated embracing the scheme was beneficial to both participating States and the
•Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (third right) at the unveiling of a model of the Ogbomoso headquarters of Jokodolu Foundation initiated by Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola (second right) at its launch in Abuja less-privileged people. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who unveiled the model of the headquarters of the Jokodolu Foundation, expressed the goodwill
of all the members of the House. He commended the Majority Leader’s gesture to ensure that the foundation covers the whole of Ogbomosho and by extension Oyo State.
While pledging the support of the House in partnering with the foundation, he enjoined Akande-Adeola to continue to strive for the betterment of the people in her constituency and beyond
Engineer Aneji, who was chairman on the occasion, extolled the virtues of the Leader in terms of her desire to help the less-privileged people. He noted that her interest in doing things that will benefit the lives of others is a virtue to be emulated.
Labour unions urged to embrace health scheme From Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos
enrollees who stand to gain from the objectives of the Scheme. He said participation in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) will accrue money to States and the participants and ensure better health care facilities for improved healthcare services to the people and called on the workers to embrace the scheme wholeheartedly. He explained that the objectives
of the scheme are to ensure that every Nigerian had access to good health care service, protect families from the financial hardship of huge medical bills, limit the rise in the cost of health care services, ensure equitable distribution of health care cost among different income groups, maintain high standard of health care delivery services within the scheme among others.
ment at all levels to as a matter of urgency fully key into the scheme so that the workforce could enjoy the dividend of democracy by getting access to improved healthcare at subsidized cost. The forum saw participants asking questions and getting clarifications of areas where they had doubts with participants promising to enlighten others on the need to embrace the NHIS.
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The objectives of the scheme are to ensure that every Nigerian has access to good health care service, protect families from huge medical bills, limit the rise in the cost of health care services, ensure equitable distribution of health care cost among different income groups
Ibrahim stressed that the objectives could only be achieved if all concerned keyed into the scheme. Responding on behalf of the organised Labour unions in the state, the Secretary, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Ade Akinbo said the scheme is a laudable initiative that must be keyed into by the state government and embraced by the workforce. The Labour scribe urged govern-
pacity and that objective has been realised. Water supply has been approached with even greater zeal and vigour in the rural areas of the state. The Enugu State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (ENRUWASSA), is the agency charged with the responsibility of providing safe drinking water for the ru-
•From right: Chairman, Ojodu Local Council Development Area, Hon Olumuyiwa Oloro; Hon Bayo Odulana and council Vice-Chairman, Hon Abiodun Ayileka at the inauguration of Otuyelu Street, Oke-Ira, Ojodu, Lagos
ral communities. Records show that it has so far lived up to its billings under the Chime administration which has the provision of potable water and environmental sanitation as cardinal components of its widely acclaimed 4-point agenda. Governor Chime’s major landmarks in the provision of potable water supply in the rural areas include construction of eight motorised boreholes in Nsukka, IgboezeSouth, Ezeagu, Oji-River and UzoUwani local government areas. He has also provided N36m for 42 shallow boreholes in Aninri, Agwu, Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Isi-Uzo and Enugu South local government area, Ogui-Agu Eke in Udi, Amankwo-Oghe in Ezeagu and Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani local government areas. With the support from some local government areas, the Enugu State government also rehabilitated water schemes at Umuaga and Obinagu (Udi), Ede Oballa (Nsukka), Amuri and Ojiagu Agbani (Nkanu West) while government is carrying out some work on the water schemes of Edem,
Obukpa in Nsukka Local Government Area and in Ugbawka, Amechi Idodo and Owo in Nkanu East Local Government Area. Rehabilitation of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) water scheme, which includes the construction of four new boreholes, new water reservoir and water reticulation on the campus at the cost of N329m were also completed by Governor Chime administration. Construction work has also commenced on the over N2.5b Adada River Dam project in Igbo-Etiti and Uzo-Uwani local government areas of the state to boost water supply in Enugu North Area of the state. These giant strides recorded so far in the water sector by Governor Chime’s administration has, expectedly, continued to attract accolade from residents, health bodies, civil society organisations and international donor agencies, especially the World Bank all of who acknowledged the dedication and clear vision of the governor towards the actualisation of the administration’s objectives in the sector.