HIGHLIGHTS SCHOOL FEEDING INITIATIVE
Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, April 13, 2018
UMUAHIA, Abia, Nigeria – The Federal Government has supported all the state governments to the tune of N1.9 trillion in the past three years, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said. He made the revelation while speaking at the inauguration of Abia State Tele-Health Support Centre in Umuahia, Abia State.
“This commitment has meant two things. First; is President Buhari’s determination to break from the past where the Federal government only supported States where the party in office was their own”, Osinbajo said, adding that at the inauguration of the NEC in 2015, he publicly declared that “our own NEC will assist every State because poverty in our nation is no respecter of ethnic group, religion or party affiliation.
“Consequently, as of today the Federal government has supported States without discrimination along party lines to the tune of N1.91 Trillion,” he said assuring the Governor, the Government and people of Abia State of unwavering commitment of the FG to collaborate with the state and all programmes intended to make life better and easier for Nigerians.
“We will certainly continue to look for opportunities like this to work with and support you and other State Governments”, he said, adding “with this Tele-Health Support Center, also known as the Dial-a-Doc Initiative, I am told that citizens can now, through a dedicated telephone line, and affordable pre-paid cards, access medical care and support from a state-wide network of doctors who will be able to communicate in local languages.
“This initiative will cut down the time spent traveling in search of healthcare, or waiting in line to see a doctor in healthcare facilities, and close the access-to-healthcare gap between our urban and rural areas. It will also make Abia State standout, within and outside Nigeria, as a forward-looking, people-centered State; one that is open to new ideas and to life-changing innovation.
“Ultimately, the success or otherwise of this programme will depend on the willingness of the operators to take on feedback and make the adjustments necessary to meet the evolving needs of the intended beneficiaries. I am sure that as you execute the programme, these lessons will be helpful not just to you but other States who will adopt this exemplary Initiative”, he said.
Accordin to him, the Federal government has prioritized social and economic policies and programmes that will bring the greatest benefit to the greatest number of our people.
“We have examples of these in our Social Investment Programmes. Today we are feeding 7.5 million children in our Homegrown School Feeding Programme in 22 States. We have employed 200,000 graduates in our N-Power scheme, 300,000 more are waiting to be formally engaged. Every single local government in Nigeria is covered. We are giving loans to over 300,000 traders and artisans, and we are giving N5,000 monthly to over 300,000 of the poorest families accross the States, all without discrimination along party lines. Here in Abia we have 3,262 beneficiaries of the N-Power with another 8,023 to come on board shortly.
“We are feeding 125,624 pupils in 742 schools and we have 1,569 cooks in total, for microcredit loans under our GEEP scheme we have given loans to 7585 small businesses. (so far we have invested about N2,395,585,900(about N2.4b) in SIP funds in Abia State) and specifically in healthcare we have the Saving One Million Lives Initiative, which has made available 1.5 Million USD to each state government – including Abia State – to improve the quality of basic healthcare available especially to our women and children.
“Let me say that the FG’s plan for the nation is Universal Health Coverage for all Nigerians. Health insurance is the most effective way of ensuring access to healthcare when needed and at the same time funding our healthcare system, and ensuring that healthcare personnel are well rewarded”, he said.
