BENIN CITY – Following plans by the Edo State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), to embark on strike, Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the state government is making arrangement for private health care providers to offer essential services to patients in state government hospitals, as the demands by the NMA are unrealistic.
Obaseki said this when he received the newly inaugurated members of the Governing Board of the University Of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) at the Government House, in Benin City on Monday.
He said the state government will write to the national body of NMA as the Edo State chapter of the association “has threatened to shut down the health system in the state following their unrealistic demands.”
Obaseki said: “We believe that the doctors’ demands are unrealistic, having been part of the steps taken so far to improve the conditions of service of medical doctors in the state. They see what we are doing and yet have threatened to go on strike because I cannot afford to fulfil 100 per cent of their demands.”
He noted that the doctors are not fair to the state as “we agree with their demands but cannot afford all the demands now, rather we will spread them across four years of this administration, but the Edo NMA rejected the offer and insists on embarking on strike.

“We are looking at various ways to execute our health reforms but will not allow anyone to blackmail us. We have been open, honest and have carried NMA along in all our activities till date. We will be talking to private health practitioners to help us and I have told them that I cannot afford all their requests at once. We are already making backup plans to take care of our people, if we are constrained to.”
Obaseki commences construction of 500 Health Centres next month, to revamp nursing school
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has revealed plans to build at least 500 primary healthcare centres and revamp the state’s nursing school, beginning next month, April, to provide a conducive environment for the implementation of the compulsory health insurance scheme.
The governor said the bill for setting up compulsory health insurance has reached advanced stage at the Edo State House of Assembly, stressing that the focus on primary healthcare by his administration is to ensure that basic healthcare needs are accessible and affordable by ordinary people.

According to the him, “Plans to improve primary healthcare services in the state is ongoing. The basic philosophy is to strengthen the primary healthcare system which will create room for adequate structures for obtaining data relating to healthcare and the required services.
“A pilot scheme will be rolled-out in April, when 20 primary healthcare centres will be refurbished in the 18 local government areas. Subsequently, 200 primary healthcare centers (PHCs) will be fitted with power and water supply. All these will be completed in the next 18 months. The target is to complete 500 primary healthcare centers by the end of my administration.”
Obaseki integrates vigilantes, hunters in Edo’s new security architecture
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the state’s new security architecture will accommodate vigilante groups from various communities, who will be expected to assist in maintaining peace and order across the state.

The new security architecture comes on the heels of recent attacks on innocent Edo people by bandits, and will serve as a robust framework incorporating the restructured Operation Thunderstorm. The new initiative will be supported with 36 operational vehicles to be supplied by the 18 local government councils of the state.
According to the governor, the new security measures is intended to forestall breakdown of law and order across the state, noting that the architecture is made up relevant security outfits in the state.
He said, “I am here because of a serious security breach. We have always lived together in this state despite our differences. I am concerned because of a growing national trend. The security of our country is being undermined. We want to caution that we will not allow what is happening across the country to get to Edo State.”
Noting that the state is incorporating vigilante groups in the new security arrangement, he said, “I am working with the Commissioner of Police. We are going to totally overhaul the command and postings in the Police. Of particular interest is the Police structure in Esan land. We are going to have a Police Force that is highly mobile and integrated with the community arrangements, whether they are vigilantes or hunters. This is to ensure that if there are suspicious movements, the information will be sent across promptly.

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“With the structure we now have in place, we believe that the communities will now give us more information. As much as we will reorganise the police command, the committees we have at the local government level must now be replicated at the community leve. Every ward must have the same arrangement. We have to involve our hunters so that everybody will know what is going on and can respond swiftly.”
Our recent promotion by Obaseki has brought us joy – Edo Teachers
In the wake of the promotion of public primary school teachers in Edo State by Governor Godwin Obaseki, the teachers have thrown their weight behind the governor, stressing that the directive has brought them joy.
They said that the development would boost the morale of teachers and lead to better teaching and learning outcomes in public schools.

Governor Obaseki reiterated his commitment to teachers’ welfare when he announced the promotion directive, noting “The release of outstanding promotion of teachers in public primary schools in the state further demonstrate the commitment to the welfare of teachers in the state.”
He said, “As part of the reforms to improve the quality of basic education in the state, it is important to motivate teachers, especially as we roll out the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) programme.”
In reaction to the development, some teachers have commended the governor for the directive, noting that it was long overdue.

A teacher in Estako West Local Government, who doesn’t want her name in print, said, “the news of the promotion is highly commendable. The promotion is long overdue. I am happy as the promotion will motivate us to do more.”
She said while the affected teachers await the release of the promotion letters, it is necessary that the authorities monitor the conduct of some officials who might want to exploit the opportunity to fleece teachers.
According to her, “Much as we applaud the initiative, we want to ask that the Education Secretaries should not use the avenue to demand for money from teachers before the letters get to those of us expecting promotion. We do not want anyone to cut short our joy, as the governor is committed to improved welfare of teachers.”

According to another teacher in Obi Primary School, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, Mr. Okun Dada Gabriel, “The approval of the governor for the release of promotion letters for teachers in primary school, covering three years is a step forward for the better.”
He said that teachers in the state expect more of such move from the governor, who has shown interest in improving primary education, which is the bedrock of education in Nigeria.
“We also use the opportunity to appeal to the governor to consider the promotion of other teachers, so that the joy will be spread evenly. With this move, teachers will be motivated to support the vision of the governor for primary education in the state.”