BAYELSA PLANS BIG FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

YENEGOA, Nigeria – Henceforth, all pregnant women in Bayelsa state would be given adequate attention by the goverment until they safely put to bed, according to the Bayelsa State Executive Council (SEC). This was one of the major decisions reached at the end of the 92nd meeting of the council chaired over by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, at the Government House Yenagoa.

The State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu who disclosed this after the meeting said the decision was arrived at following the resolve of the government to reduce drastically cases of maternal and infant mortality.  

Etebu explained that most of the fatality cases during pregnancy and child birth could have been avoided if the women were properly catered for and stressed that the goverment will provide everything they need in the state primary and tertiary health institutions.The Health Commissioner also announced plans to organize a one day stakeholders summit on maternal and infant mortality which will have in attendance the First Lady, ‎Dr. Rachael Dickson who will lead discussions at the event. 

He said “The summit will bring together women and youth groups from the ward to the state level, practitioners in the health sector, His Excellency the Governor and the First Lady will all be there. It is going to be a major event and very soon the date and venue will be made known”.

Also Speaking the Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Funkazi Koroye-Crooks  ‎said pretty soon more investors will come into the state to take advantage of its potentials in different sectors especially gas. According to her this was made possible by Gov. Dickson during his‎ presentation at the 6th edition of the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, the capital of Cote D’ Voire.

She said Dickson dazzled his audience made up of world leaders and CEO’s of renowned companies when he highlighted the reason Bayelsa is haven for any investor and the right destination for doing business.

Koroye-Crooks noted that the impressed audience applauded the governor’s brilliance and leadership style just as they made huge commitments to kick start their interest to invest in Bayelsa State. On his part the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Julius Otele said the council okayed the expansion of the Ekeki Housing estate in order to erect more units of duplexes including service quarters.

He assured Bayelsans of the commitment of the government to address the housing deficit in the state and give people the opportunity to have access to affordable houses. Otele who was flanked by the Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director of the Bayelsa Property and Investment Company maintained that the goverment is on course in its robust h‎ousing programme.

He revealed that the government has commenced work at Okaka phase 3, Aleibiri, Ayama, Toru-Orua, Ekeremor as part of measures to deliver massively on housing to Bayelsans while the clearing of the new land acquired at Agbura has started following the payment of compensation. While enumerating all the decisions reached at the meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson said Bayelsans should appreciate the efforts of the government and show more support so it can do more for them.

Iworiso-Markson vowed that the government will fulfill most of the promises made which will ultimately change the lives of Bayelsans and the state in general before the expiration of its tenure in 2020.