…..’we deserve to be re-elected’
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has commissioned the Osun Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA) Multipurpose Hall and flagged off the free enrolment of traditional rulers and their queens into the state health insurance scheme.
The event was held on Tuesday at the OSHIA Complex, Abere, with traditional rulers and government officials, among others in attendance.
Addressing the gathering, Adeleke said the initiative was part of his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality and affordable healthcare for residents of the state, stressing that the government would continue to implement people-centred health policies.
The governor said the free enrolment of royal fathers and their queens was aimed at ensuring they had access to qualitative healthcare services without financial hardship.
He also highlighted some of his administration’s achievements, including the construction of over 300 kilometres of roads, rehabilitation of more than 200 primary healthcare centres and over 150 schools, payment of salary arrears and pensions, nearly N2 billion released for cooperative financing, distribution of tractors and farm inputs to farmers, and the ongoing construction of a five-star stadium.
Adeleke said the performance of his administration justified its bid for a second term, declaring that it deserved to be re-elected.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of OSHIA, Dr. Rasaq Akintunde Akindele, said the newly inaugurated multipurpose hall was financed from the agency’s statutory reserve fund in line with the provisions of the Osun Health Insurance Scheme Law.
He explained that the facility was conceived as a conference, training, research and stakeholder engagement centre that would also serve as an income-generating asset to strengthen the financial sustainability of the agency and support the expansion of health insurance coverage across the state.
Akindele said the project was executed through direct labour using indigenous materials, artisans and suppliers within Osun State, noting that the approach promoted local content, reduced costs and stimulated the state’s economy.
He said the agency had also strengthened healthcare delivery through the distribution of multimillion-naira medical equipment to accredited health facilities and the deployment of a fully automated 4D ultrasound machine to a government secondary healthcare facility to improve maternal and child healthcare services.
The OSHIA boss listed other interventions of the agency to include the enrolment of persons with disabilities, persons living with HIV, state pensioners and inmates of correctional centres into the health insurance scheme, as well as the provision of assistive devices and economic empowerment support for persons with disabilities.
He added that the agency had implemented a statewide school eye health programme, introduced medical assistance for enrollees with life-threatening illnesses and enrolled traditional rulers and their queens into the scheme to deepen grassroots acceptance of health insurance and accelerate the state’s drive towards universal health coverage.
Akindele reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that every resident of Osun State had access to quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship.
In his remarks, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Larooye, commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for what he described as the administration’s outstanding performance across Osun State, particularly in the health sector.
The monarch said the newly inaugurated facility would improve healthcare delivery and expressed support for Adeleke’s re-election bid, declaring that the governor deserved another term in office.
He said “I will not stop eulogising Governor Ademola Adeleke for his excellent performance across Osun State. This is another edifice to cater for our health. Adeleke’s eight years in government are sacrosanct.”
Also speaking, the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa II urged residents of the state to support leaders based on their performance rather than other considerations.
He said Adeleke’s administration had executed projects across all parts of Osun State and called on residents to mobilise support for the governor ahead of the August 15 governorship election, expressing confidence in Adeleke’s victory and a second term in office.
