DSCHC Flags off Indigent Enrollee Adoption Initiative,IEAI, in Oshimili North

….As Hon. Esenwa Purchases Health Insurance for 200 Indigent Constituents

By: Pat Gbemudu

The Delta State Contributory Health Insurance Commission has flagged off the Indigent Enrollee Adoption Initiative at Ibusa, Oshimili North Local government.

At the event, the commission registered 200 persons whose health insurance were purchased by the member representing Oshimili North in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Frank Esenwa.

The indigent enrollees were drawn from the various towns in the Local Government.

In a keynote address, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dr. Isaac Akpoveta said the event was part of ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare accessibility and inclusivity within communities in the state.

Dr. Akpoveta said with just 7,000 naira, anyone could purchase health insurance for indigent persons around them to access quality healthcare in any hospital of their choice throughout the year.
Describing Hon. Esenwa as a philanthropist per excellence, the DG said the gesture of the honorable member towards his constituents was an example of true leadership and compassion, even as he noted that Hon. Esenwa had set a record as the first person to purchase health insurance for 200 persons under the scheme in the state

Dr. Akpoveta said the Commission has made remarkable progress in fulfilling its mandate, especially with the implementation of various programmes, which has helped increase healthcare coverage and health outcomes of the people.

He mentioned the programmes to include the Equity Health plan, formal health plan, and the informal Health plan, as well as the Access to Finance Initiative for the hard to reach areas of the state, Tertiary Institution Social Health Insurance Program, TISHIP, for students and the Indigent Enrollee Adoption Initiative.

The DG said over 1,890,000 persons in Delta state have so far registered in the scheme, indicating the confidence of Deltans in the commission and its programmes, even as he reiterated the Commission’s commitment to expanding the reach and impact across the state.

He thanked Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his continued political will and financial support to the commission, and urged stakeholders to continue to support initiatives aimed at expanding healthcare access for all residents of the state.

The Chairman of the Commission, Dr Austin Obidi in his earlier remarks, commended Hon. Esenwa for addressing the health needs of his constituents and urged other well meaning Deltans, including corporate organizations to take cue and lend a helping hand to the indigent around them, bearing in mind that health is wealth.

While saying that the insurance scheme and the upgrading of health facilities across the state, was a testament of the state government’s commitment to providing more health benefits for Deltans, Dr. Obidi urged the people to spread the good news to everyone around them.

The member representing Oshimili North in the state House of Assembly, and sponsor of the programme, Hon. Frank Esenwa, said upon hearing of the Indigent Enrollee Adoption Initiative, he decided to utilize the opportunity to reduce the health stress of his constituents, especially at a time where drugs were becoming more expensive, and the global economy was dwindling.

Hon. Esenwa recognized the role of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in bringing health insurance into the state, describing it as laudable, while also calling on others to embrace the programme.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke including a 67 year old physically challenged retiree who has been battling health challenges, thanked Hon. Esenwa for the gesture saying that they had never it so good.

Highpoint of the event was the conferment of Health Insurance Ambassador on Hon. Esenwa by the Commission.

Warri South-West 2024 Budget: Councillors to Petition Council Boss, Taiye to EFCC over perceived Refusal Of Key Officers To Defend budget 

Barely five days to the end of the tenure of the political class of local government administration in Delta State, Councilors in Warri South-West Local Government, have threatened to petition the outgoing Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government Area, Hon. Taiye Duke Tuoyo, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over perceived refusal of the Head of Personnel Department, Treasurer to the Local Government and the Head of Works Department of the Council, to appear before the Council’s legislature to defend aspects of the year 2024 budget.

Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government Area, Hon. Taiye Duke Tuoyo, had on Monday February 26, presented a draft estimate of N5,283,091,891.00 (Five billion two hundred and eighty-three million, ninety-one thousand, eight hundred and ninety-one naira to the Council legislature, with a plea for the lawmakers to give the budget proposal, speedy consideration and approval’ “as the Administration is about winding up”.

A peep by this newspaper into the budget proposal, revealed that Economic Empowerment through Agric, would gulp N50,000,000, N30,000,000 budgeted for Societal Re-orientation, with N100,000,000 going for Improvement of Human Health, while Housing and Urban Development, Information Comm. & Tech Literacy, Renovation/construction of primary school furnishing as well as Installation of solar/streetlight in the local government, will take N100,000,000, N5,000,000, N150,000,000 and N50,000,000, respectively.

Member of the now dissolved Ad-hoc Committee on Finance and Appropriation of Warri South-West Legislative Arm, Hon. Raymond Pira, who spoke to Fresh Angle International in Warri, in an exclusive chat this afternoon, Monday March 4, stated that the Head of Personnel Management, HPM of Warri South-West Local Government Council, Treasurer to Local Government and Head of Works Department of the Council, declined invitation of the now dissolved Ad-hoc Committee on Finance and Appropriation to appear before it Thursday February 29 and Monday March 4.

Hon. Pira, disclosed that as at today, Monday March 4, members of the Council legislature, received a single copy of the draft estimate, out of the 25copies that ought to have been presented to the House, saying even though the lawmakers were yet to pass 2024 budget into Law, the Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government Area, Hon. Taiye Duke Tuoyo, had allegedly commenced Installation of solar/streetlight in the local government, worth Fifty Million naira (N50,000,000.00).

Documents made to available to This Soaring International Online Newspaper, revealed that invites extended to the HPM, Treasurer to the Local Government and Head of Works Department of the Council, by Secretary of the now dissolved Ad-hoc Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Ndubishi F.C. on behalf of the Committee, were dated February 28 and March 1.

Hon. Pira, warned that if by Wednesday March 6 (2 days to the end of the tenure of the political class of local government administration in Delta State) the Head of Personnel Management, Treasurer to Local Government and the Head of Works Department of the Council, refuse to honour the invite by Committee of the whole House, with a view to defending capital votes of aspects of the proposed draft budget, they (the Councilors) will officially petition the outgoing Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government Area, Hon. Taiye Duke Tuoyo to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Tompolo’s firm in collabo with NSCDC over powers crude oil thieves in Ondo, set ablaze kegs containing crude

Operatives of the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL), Ondo State chapter, in collaboration with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Sunday morning, engaged a cartel of crude oil thieves in a shootout at an illegal crude oil camp in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo.

The combined team of TSSNL and NSCDC, after overpowering the criminal suspects in their camp along Alowe sea shore in Ilaje Local Government Area, destroyed 700 kegs containing 21,000 litres of crude oil stored in a large reservoir.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director, Operations and Technical Services of TSSNL, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, in a statement made available to journalists on Monday morning.

He said the joint security team, which uncovered the economic sabotage at about 8:36a.m on Sunday around the western corridor after a tip-off, was led by the TSSNL commandant in Ondo State, Chief Idowu Asonja.

According to him,the voluminous crude oil, which was adulterated, stored in a large, locally-built reservoir, and being sold to local buyers by the saboteurs, was suspected to be siphoned from the Trans-Escravos pipeline.

He said that the suspects operating the illegal crude oil storage camp, seeing the game was over, fled the scene in their speed boats during the gun battle with NSCDC operatives.

“It’s indeed a successful, but stressful trip. Our agents in Awoye area hinted to us about the perpetuation of the evil act carried out in that area.

It was a well fortified camp which the perpetrators believed was impenetrable for security agents, but we shocked them,” Captain Enisuoh quoted the leader of the team, Chief Asonja, as saying.

Captain Enisuoh further disclosed that all the 700 kegs containing 21,000 litres of adulterated crude oil, two wooden boats laden with crude oil as well as the entire illegal camp were set ablaze to serve as a deterrent to others.

Meanwhile, Captain Enisuoh quoted Chief Asonja as admonishing community dwellers in the Niger Delta, especially the Ilaje area, to desist from crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and its variants, urging them to support the war against economic sabotage being led by TSSNL so that the country can bounce back economically and nation will be great again.

TANTITA assures of ending reign of oil thieves sabotaging oil operations in Niger Delta

Niger Delta crusader and Chairman of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL), Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo has promised to end the reign of oil thieves sabotaging oil operations in the Niger Delta region as part of efforts to revamp the ailing economy in the country.

Tompolo noted that Nigeria is in a dire strait and needs all the support to end the activities of saboteurs of the Nigerian oil economy.

The Niger Delta freedom fighter made the promise in his Oporoza, Gbaramatu country home in Warri South-West, Delta state at the weekend when the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) conferred INTERNAL SECURITY MERITORIOUS AWARD on him in recognition of his contributions to the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta and his undying efforts to put an end to crude oil theft in the oil-rich belt.

Just few weeks ago, Tompolo security company, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) arrested two vessels in the high sea with alleged stolen crude .

The award on Tompolo, according to the National President of the NiJ, Dr. Chris Isiguzo , was in recognition of Tompolo’s outstanding contributions to safeguarding the security of oil and gas infrastructure by curtailing oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.

Receiving the award , Tompolo vowed to help secure oil and gas facilities in order to boost the national economy, pointing out that “I don’t have any other country to call my own except Nigeria.

” Nigeria is the only country I have, so we must all join hands to protect and move Nigeria forward.

“Our economy is not in good stead . We must all rise up to occasion to revive it. We cannot fold our hands and allow a few persons to sabotage the nation’s economy for personal gains.

He appreciated the leadership of NUJ for recognizing his modest contributions to economic development just as he promised not to rest on his oars .

Presenting the award on behalf of the union, Isiguzor said the national executive after due consultations arrived at conferring the meritorious award on Tompolo for his contributions towards security , success in talking economic sabotage head long and economic recovery.

He said Tompolo has set the pace in securing Nigeria’s oil and gas facilities from the throes of economic insecurity in the Niger Delta region.

Isiguzor therefore urged the media, security agencies and Nigerians alike to cooperate with Tompolo in the task of eradicating oil thieves forthwith.

The NUJ boss stated: “Somebody has risen to the occasion and gathered an array of young men who have taken it upon themselves to help this country continue to survive as a peaceful nation, united and continue to fend for its people.

“And that is the man that has, to a very large extent, substantially, helped us address the issue of crude oil theft.

“That is one thing that has occupied our national life over time. By his commitment, dedication and diligence, Nigeria, as a country, has to a very large extent, reduced the activities of men of the underworld who have consistently engaged in pilfering, taking our common patrimony for their personal gains.

“The NUJ, having assessed the activities of TSSNL, has decided that we must accord the necessary recognition to the man who carries the flag, birthed this security organization, who has exceptionally distinguished himself.

“The NUJ has come to the Oporoza Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom to honour a distinguished son of the Niger Delta; a general in his own right who has distinguished himself, ensures and maintains an appreciable level of internal security.

“We have come to confer on him, the Internal Security Meritorious Award of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

“In the course of the national security conference, held in Abuja, only one award had been approved and it is conferred on Dr Government Ekpemupolo”.

Isiguzo added : “I’m also excited that I’m doing this after 61 years of the existence of the NUJ, this award is coming up at this time.

“It is not just an honour to Tompolo but also an honour to me too. It is an honour to all of us and what that means is that the issue of insecurity is not just the responsibility of government but of every Nigerian.

“When you provide information, and intelligence to security operatives and agencies, you have contributed in some measures to reducing the problem of insecurity in the land.

“So, it is a collective responsibility, and all hands must be on deck to ensure we address our problems.

“If Nigeria is peaceful, every part of the country, including your household, will be peaceful and that will give birth to development and progress.

He enjoined his colleagues; Journalists to keep contributing their quota by sharing Intelligence with security agencies and operatives in order to engender peace, harmony and progress in the country.

Dignitaries at the ceremony included National Secretary of NUJ Shuaibu Leman and Delta state NUJ chairman, Churchill Oyowe who led members of the executive .