The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gov. Rochas Okorocha

  • Imo Govt, urged to step-up primary health care -IVAC

    Imo Govt, urged to step-up primary health care -IVAC

    The Imo Government has been urged to step-up in the level of primary healthcare service. This call was made by the Country Director of John Hopkins International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC), Dr Chizoba Wonodi, on Thursday at a two-day orientation workshop.

    The two-day orientation workshop was based on the new Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) reform of the Federal Government, organised by IVAC in conjunction with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in Owerri.

    Deliberations during the workshop centered on poor state of primary healthcare in Imo and the new national primary health care under one roof reform which seek to strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) in the country.

    The country director said Imo could only access funds from IVAC if the state adhered strictly to the rules of PHCUOR.

    She said “we have decided to reform health care and bring it under one roof to enable us to monitor the programme effectively.

    “We will assist Imo Government to access funds for the development of its primary health but all the rules guiding the programme must be adhered to.”

    According to her, the Imo Government has taken the first step by establishing the State Primary Health Care Development Agency SPHCDA, which will help in driving the programme.

    She then urged Gov. Rochas Okorocha to ensure that adequate facilities and manpower were on ground for the takeoff of the programme.

    She said IVAC was committed in making sure that every Nigerian child was vaccinated and reassured the commitment of the donor agency in assisting Nigeria to overcome problem of primary health care.

    She lamented that previous primary health care programmes in the country were marred by the lack of proper supervision and commitment, which she said gave rise for the new reform.

    The Commissioner for Health in Imo, Mr Ngozi Njoku, said Gov. Okorocha had taken serious steps in addressing the problem of health care in the state.

    He said “the Imo Government is committed to developing primary health care in the state.

    “We have both structures and manpower to drive the PHCUOR; we assure you that
    government will cue into the programme to further strengthen health development in the state.”

    The Executive Secretary of Imo State Primary Health Care, Dr Emmanuel Emukah,
    said the programme would guarantee quality health care delivery in rural areas.

    “We have acquired facilities for our takeoff and we will make sure that stakeholders in the health industry are properly oriented on the activities of the programme”, he said.

    He also commended Gov. Okorocha for establishing the state primary health care agency, adding that the agency and the state’s Ministry of Health would work in harmony to achieve the common goal.

  • Igbos, truthful, committed, but often misunderstood – Gov. Okorocha

    Igbos, truthful, committed, but often misunderstood – Gov. Okorocha

    The Igbos have been referred to as “the most truthful, committed and trust -worthy people but often misunderstood in the country.’’

    This statement was made by Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, on Monday when he received the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, in Government House, Owerri.

    Okorocha said that Imo had witnessed tremendous progress under his leadership. He described Imo as “one of the safest states’’ in Nigeria, where there was no more kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and baby factory syndrome.

    He attributed the relative peace and security in the state to the efforts of the security agencies, especially the Nigerian army.

    He commended the military for the successes being recorded in the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the North East.

    He noted that such successes had not being achieved in Syria and other parts of the world battling terrorism.

    Okorocha also commended the army for the “Exercise Crocodile Smile” and newly introduced “Exercise Python Dance” in the South-South and South-East zone.

    He urged the security agencies to do whatever they could to secure the pipelines to enable the free flow of oil to generate revenue for the nation.

    He promised to continue to support the army.

    Earlier, Buratai told the governor that he was in the state for the 2018 Chief of Army Staff Conference.

    He told the governor that “Python Dance” was a training exercise to update troops in the South- East on the rudiments and basics of their job.

    Buratai said that during the conference the army would offer free medical services to the people of the state.

  • Okorocha sacks SSG

    Okorocha sacks SSG

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday terminated the appointment of the Secretary to the State Government, Sir Jude Ejiogu.

    Although no reason was given for the suden removal of the SSG, which was announced over the state-owned radio station, the sack, sources say may not be unconnected with the battle for the 2019 governorship election.

    The Nation reliably gathered that governor’s decision was not unconnected with the recent call by pensioners for the probe of the former SSG’s tenure as Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, where pension funds running into billions of naira were allegedly missing.

    Okorocha was said to have made up his mind after Ejiogu subtly turned an event attended by the governor, the commissioning of the Owerri Mall, into a political rally to advance his political ambition.

    Another reason that may also be responsible for the sack, according to a reliable source within the Government House, is the leakage of classified government documents and information from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.

    The source, which pleaded anonymity, added that, “the governor became worried over the way the SSG was carrying on with his ambition, which was beginning to affect his performance and derailing the government. So, his sack may come as a surprise to the public, especially after he was seen with the governor in an event a day before. But within the government circle, it was not a surprise.”

    However, efforts to get the sacked SSG to comment on the matter proved abortive, as he did not pick his phone.

  • Imo Govt promises to establish School for the Blind

    Imo Govt promises to establish School for the Blind

    Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo said on Tuesday that the state government had concluded arrangements to establish a special school for the blind by 2014.

    Okorocha said this when members of the Nigeria Association of the Blind, Imo chapter, visited him at the Government House, Owerri.

    The governor said he was touched by the plight of the blind and the partially sighted persons in the state and promised to provide them with education and employment opportunities, to ameliorate their sufferings.

    He assured them that his administration would prioritise the welfare of the physically challenged persons, to give them a sense of belonging.

    Okorocha also promised an upward review of the bursary award to those in institutions of higher learning and promised to support the association financially, to enable it to successfully host its forthcoming zonal conference.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Association, Mr. Clinton Amaechi, appealed to the governor to address some of their pressing needs.

    Amaechi listed their needs to include regular payment of their bursary, employment opportunities and political appointment to their members.

    He noted that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities called for practical and positive approach to the issues raised.

    While thanking the governor for his concern for the group, Amaechi urged people in authority to grant equal opportunities to both the able bodied and physically challenged persons.