By Patrick Ochei
ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Contributory Health Commission has assured of partnering the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council for effective and efficient publicity of the health insurance scheme for all Deltans.
This understanding was reached on Thursday 10th December, 2020, when the newly elected Executive of the Union, paid the Governing Board of the Commission a familiarization visit, where mutually beneficial issues were discussed.
Receiving the Executive members of the NUJ was the Chairman of the Commission’s Board, Olorogun Dr. Isaac Akpoveta, who affirmed the readiness of the Commission to partner the NUJ in the interest of effective administration of health for all Deltans.
Akpoveta appreciated the Union leaders for showing interest in enlightenment campaign and project monitoring of the Commission, adding that it would help in reaching the unreached and propagating the successes of the Commission thus far.
He congratulated the Executive of NUJ for a well deserved victory at their recent election which was notable for its fierce nature.
Meanwhile, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dr. Ben Nkechika later presented a richly published brochure on the Journey So Far of the Commission to the Chairman of NUJ.
He said he would appreciate the NUJ forming a nucleus of members to help in monitoring and assessing the achievements of the Commission as a way of assisting the administrators in self assessment, programme review and re-evaluation.
Nkechika said as a result of Delta being the first State in the country to establish the Contributory Health Commission, it has opened the way for UNICEF to sponsor some of its programmes and thereby creating opportunities for other states to start making use of Delta’s template in setting up their own Commissions.
Earlier, the Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu had eulogized the Commission’s managers for their technical-know-how in using their platforms to reach the vast majority of Deltans in public and private environments to cater for their health needs.
The chairman said he was marvelled when he heard that the formation and organisational structure of the Commission has no political colouration in any form.
He stressed that with what he had seen, he was now convinced as a civil servant to go ahead to register for his own health insurance.
Ikeogwu noted that he had led the Union on a familiarization visit, and to inform the Commission’s Board that the NUJ is available to serve in publicizing the affairs and programmes of the Commission as its own contribution to the laudable humanitarian services the Commission is rendering to Deltans.
He commended the Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for his forthrightness in sponsoring the bill that saw to the establishment of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS and then coming back home in Delta to replicate such a laudable project.
Comrade Ikeogwu maintained that the Contributory Health Commission would be one of the projects that Deltans would use in judging the achievements of Okowa in office; thereby encouraging the Governor and his leutenants in the Commission to continue with the good work already set in motion.
