By Stephen Adeleye.
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, on Tuesday urged women in the state to take advantage of the state’s Health Insurance Scheme in a bid to reduce financial burdens during treatment and enjoy quality healthcare service.
Bello gave the advice in Lokoja at the inaugural symposium on ”GYB Policy On Women Transformation In Line With Beijing Affirmative Action and Launching of Women Advocacy for Social Health Insurance”.
The Governor said that his administration had continue to give priority to good health care service delivery especially to women and the less privilege citizens of the state.
He added that the Kogi Health Insurance Agency (KGSHIA), was created by law to provide an efficient and sustainable mechanism of pooling financial resources for strategic purchasing of health care services to confer optimal financial risk protection to all residents of Kogi State.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Folashade Ayoade, the governor cautioned the women not to joke with their health as they remained a fulcrum in the actualisation of a better Nigeria.
He, however lauded the gesture of the National Assembly lawmakers representing Kogi East, Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho and his Western counterpart, Senator Smart Adeyemi for providing financial support to 1000 pregnant women each under the state health insurance scheme.
“Women are the one that is there for child bearing. It takes a healthy woman to give birth and take care of the baby; It is when you are alive that you can take care of your husband, and children.
”I’m urging you all to make use of this golden opportunity and key into the state health insurance agency programme”, he advised.
He promised that the deduction from salaries of the political office holders as part of pool of fund to support the state health insurance scheme would commence as from next year.
He called on all well meaning individuals and organisations to subscribe to the health scheme to suppot the less privilege and the vulnerable in the society.
Earlier, the State’s Commissioner for Women and Social Development, Hajia Fatima Buba, expressed her gratitude to God for protecting Kogi State from all sort of insecurity.
She noted that the symposium was organised to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of Kogi State, saying, “It is all about Kogi State our own State.
”If we cannot celebrate Kogi State, we are ungrateful to God. Bearing in mind all the vices around the states, including the northern-central zone, the killings, kidnappings, insecurity here and there.
”The scams, robberies, child trafficking, ritual killings, Covid-19 Pandemic, name it, but Kogi State remains unshaken, secured and divinely covered”.
She commended the Governor for taken the lead in line with the Beijing declaration of 1995 on women affirmation and the implementation of gender policy on women about attaining 35% inclusion of women in governance and in every sector of human development.
Buba stressed that a woman in decision-making is empowered politically and by implication economically, noting that the women folks have never had It so good as it is in the present administration.
”Our New Direction Agenda purposeful and gender-friendly Governor has since assumption of office been promoting gender equality.
”Also ensuring that women are empowered to contribute their quota to the development of the state, bearing in mind that, when a women is empowered, a nation is empowered.
“Our own Governor has not only promoted women representation, but has also encouraged women active participation in power structures and in decision making.
”As it stand today, many sectors, parastatals, Agencies and Major Offices are loaded by women in the state.
”His Excellency has also gone out of his way to embark on women-friendly Agricultural Revolution that will impact on the lives of women economically” she added.
On his part, the Commissioner for Sports, Mr Idris Musa, thanked the governor for women inclusiveness in all ramifications and in governance in the state.
Musa urged the women to key into the social health insurance programme for their benefit, saying, ”payment of just N15,000 to enjoy numerous health package for a year is very loudable”.
Dr Aledare Adekunle, the Executive Secretary, KGSHIA, while speaking on the launching of Women Advocacy for Social Health Insurance, commended the governor establishing the agency.
Adekunle said that the Agency was poised to speedily ensure that the commitment of Bello led Administration in prioritising healthcare delivery as a top thematic area of the new direction Agenda of his administration was actualized for the people of the State.
He, therefore urged the women to take advantage of the social health insurance programme which the state has put in place for them and their households.
In their goodwill messages, Mrs Felicia Ilujunka from Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Women wing; Hajia Saratu Lawal of Federation of Muslims Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN); and Mrs Ann Olurinde, the Chairperson, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), praised the governor for his women affirmative action.
They thanked the governor for given adequate recognition to women’s participation in governance in Kogi State.
The stressed that the women transformation in line with the Beijing affirmative Action, had been tremendously achieved by His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello in Kogi State.
They assured the governor of their total support for his 2023 presidential ambition.
