Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Government has enrolled all civil and public servants in the state into the state health insurance scheme.
Flagging off the insurance scheme in Abakaliki on Monday, the state governor, Francis Nwifuru, disclosed that his administration has taken responsibility for paying five percent consolidated salary of the workers for the programme.
The governor noted that he is concerned about the health of all the workers and expressed readiness to pay five percent of the various salaries for their health insurance because, according to him, “health is wealth and a healthy state is a wealthy state.”
Represented at the flag off ceremony by the state Deputy Governor, Patricia Obila, Nwifuru said the gesture was aimed at appreciating the workers for their hard work.
On his part, the Executive Secretary, Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency, Divine Igwe, disclosed that such a kind gesture has not happened anywhere else in the country and prayed for more wisdom upon the governor.
According to him, a total of 48,000 persons would benefit from the Onwa Oferekpe Healthcare Insurance Scheme which includes 8,000 workers, their spouses and four children.
The state Head of Service, Ritamary Okoro, urged the workers to make good use of the opportunity to increase their overall health and productivity.
Earlier the state Commissioner for Health, Moses Ekuma, noted that the flag-off of the scheme for workers has solved the major problem of the state.
He hinted that prior to the scheme, both civil and public servants in the state had been patronising quacks and engaging in self-medication because of lack of funds.
The Ikengaonline learned that the state government would be paying a total of N37 million on monthly bases till the end of Governor Nwifuru’s tenure to service the health insurance scheme.
