Adebayo Adenrele
…signs rural access roads authority, state road fund laws
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has injected over N800 million into the health sector with each of the 177 Primary Health Care facilities in the state receiving N4.6 million Naira Cheque as one-off investment fund.
This was disclosed on Monday when he flagged off Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Service (IMPACT) programme.
Oyebanji, while speaking at the flag-off ceremony, held at the Conference hall of the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti, said the IMPACT project which is a World Bank assisted programme represents a crucial step towards his administration’s commitment to the health and well-being of Ekiti people, adding that the project was aimed at reducing under-5 mortality rate in Ekiti.
He added that the project, which was consistent with his administration’s human capital development goal, would complement other existing programmes such as ‘Ulera wa’, Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), and the IMPACT Malaria project, which are all aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality in the State.
Governor Oyebanji, who noted that the result from the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey indicated that the State needs to work harder to reduce mortality rates, said his administration has already put in place a set of supply and demand side interventions with the primary goal of reducing mortality rates by 2030.
While thanking the World Bank team, led by its Country Director, Shubham Chaudhuri, the Governor said Ekiti is the only State in the country to have secured approval from the World Bank to implement both components of the project, which according to the Governor, is a proof of his administration’s readiness to seize all opportunities available to improve the health of the people.
He then charged the heads of health care facilities to use the fund judiciously, stating that his expectation is that the facilities would use the money to purchase drugs and consumables through the drug management agency, carry out basic renovations, purchase equipment and ensure the availability of data management tools.
In his words, “The IMPACT project represents a crucial step forward in our ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of the Ekiti people. As you have heard, the primary objective of this project is to reduce under-5 mortality. This aim is highly consistent with the State’s human capital development goals and complements other existing programs such as ‘Ulera wa’ (our flagship health insurance program), the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), and the IMPACT Malaria project, all of which are aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality in the State.
“Under this program, 177 primary health care facilities will each receive the sum of N4.6m as a one-off investment fund. Facilities are expected to develop work plans that would guide the use of the fund. It is important that these funds are used judiciously. Our focus must be to deploy these resources in a manner that is catalytic and complementary to existing programs. Consequently, I expect facilities to use these funds to purchase drugs and consumables through our Drug Management Agency (DMA), carry out basic renovations, purchase equipment and ensure that data management tools are available”, the Governor said.
In a separate development, Governor Biodun Oyebanji also signed three laws recently passed by the state House of Assembly-Ekiti State Roads Fund Law; Ekiti Rural Access Roads Authority Law and the Wealth Fund law, 2023.
The signing of the three sector reform laws, according to Oyebanji was geared towards actualising road infrastructure upgrade and prosperity agenda of the administration.
The Governor said his administration would continue to drive development by ensuring the transformation of infrastructural landscape of the state.
“Today is a momentous occasion as we gathered here to witness the signing of three significant sector reforms bills into law. It is with great pleasure and a sense of fulfillment that I stand before you to inaugurate the ‘Rural Access and Roads Authority, and the State Roads Fund, both vital components of Ekiti Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP). And Ekiti State Wealth Fund.
“These reforms bills mark a major milestone in our commitment to transforming the infrastructure landscape and lay a very solid economic foundation for our beloved state. It signifies our resolute dedication to improving the lives of our people especially those in the rural areas who have long yearned for enhanced connectivity, better access to vital services, and the vulnerable who have been negatively affected by various government policies.
“Additionally, the State Roads Funds as established, will provide a sustainable financing mechanism for the maintenance and rehabilitation of our Class B, Class C and Class D road infrastructure. This dedicated fund will ensure that they have the necessary resources to carry out timely repairs, thus prolonging the lifespan of our roads and minimizing disruption to the transportation network.
“The Ekiti Wealth Fund is our very bold attempt to put in place the building blocks for sustainable growth and development. It is a coordination of infrastructure funds, future generation fund, and investment fund to drive our shared prosperity agenda.
“Let me start by thanking the Honourable members for a job well done, I agree with you that you worked from beginning to the end and I am sure that history will be kind to you, thank you for your service to Ekiti state, I am thanking you because you are ending on a glorious note. This is a good way to end your service to humanity.”
