Declares free medical services
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government says it will invest the N2 billion palliative largesse so far released to the state by the Federal Government on transportation.
This is as the state has announced free medical services at designated hospitals until December 2023.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing the press along side some of his colleagues after this week’s Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
He said that details of how to deploy the loan would be made available soon, maintaining that the State Government would roll out its own palliatives after it is through with that of the Federal Government which is going on smoothly.
Contributing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Policies and Interventions, Rev. Father Christian Anokwuru, revealed that a total of 16,800 bags of rice were received from the Federal Government, disclosing that each ward would get 90 bags, adding that 55 bags have been shared to each of the 184 wards while the remaining 35 bags would get to the wards tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, said the three General hospital’s undergoing renovations had been completed and would soon be inaugurated.
She added that medical doctors had been posted to Ugwunagbo and Obehie General hospitals.
According to her, almost every test would be run in the Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostics Centre while the free medical services initiated by the present administration would continue till December.
She added that enumeration of pensioners for their free health insurance scheme is almost completed.
The Information Commissioner who stated that the administration in the State is not doing any celebration for the 100 days in office informed that Governor Otti’s administration from inception declared state of emergency in waste management, health, road infrastructure, education among others and has so far done a lot in that regard, including security and public service reform.
He disclosed that five roads in Aba including; Umuimo, Emelogu, Jubilee, Cemetery, Shallom and Obehie are due for commissioning.
Adding her voice, the Accountant General of the State, Dr. Njum Onyemenam, said the State is committed to ensuring all workers in the State are paid , stressing that what government is trying to do is to ensure that all those justified to receive their pay do so.
She added that the Government would settle the issues of omission and other complaints about salaries.
