By Chukwuemeka Opara
Abakaliki, Jan.27, 2024
The Labour Party (LP) Candidate in the Feb. 3 Ebonyi South senatorial district bye-election, Chief Linus Okorie, says he will institute a drug revolving fund in the district if elected senator.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the seat became vacant after its erstwhile occupier, Chief David Umahi resigned to assume duties as the Minister of Works.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio subsequently declared the seat, among others, vacant while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixed the elections in such category for Feb. 3, 2024.
Okorie, runner-up when the election was initially held on Feb. 25, 2023, told NAN on Saturday in Abakaliki that promoting health in the district’s communities would be his top priority.
The former House of Representatives member said he will partner with viable governmental and non-governmental organisations to improve healthcare through functional health centres.
“We would partner with the organisations to institute a drug revolving fund for each community.
“Such fund will ensure that drugs are sold at cost-prices, plus a low mark-up, and the revenue used to replenish the drug stocks.
“This will ensure that out of stock drug syndrome which hampers delivery of quality healthcare at our communities, will be addressed,” he said.
Okorie noted that he will leverage the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) programme for the informal sector to ensure health insurance coverage for the youths and aged.
“This will be achieved by providing seed capital for communities that sign up for the health insurance scheme.
“Rich and influential members of the district will be encouraged to pay counterpart funds for their communities, to enable the aged, poor and needy access healthcare at no cost.
“The informal sector insurance rate presently is about N15,000 annually and we shall provide a percentage of this amount for participating communities,” he said.
He noted that in education, scholarship schemes for indigent students will be introduced while reading, writing and public speaking programmes amongst students, would be supported.
“This is to address the declining fortunes in literacy, numeracy, science and technology amongst our school children.
“We shall construct well equipped and internet enabled Information Communication Technology (ICT) centres to propel our children towards ICT and digital skills at young ages.
“The centres will be constructed in each of the five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the district and they shall serve as hubs for computer training for students.
“The five centres shall be forged into a network, linked to professional certification authorities to give our youths cutting-edge skills to propel them into the modern economy,” he said.
