Politics
DELTA House of Assembly has urged ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to help drive government policies and programmes for the betterment of the people of the people of the state.
The Chairman, House Committee on Health, Chief Ferguson Onwo, stated this on Friday in Asaba when the Ministry of Health and the parastatals under it appeared before the committee to defend their 2024 budget proposals.
Onwo (PDP-Isoko South II) advised them to take government policies and programmes seriously in order to ensure better health service delivery for the people of the state, especially in the areas of infrastructure, equipment and attitude.
The lawmaker also advised MDAs to ensure that the ”MORE agenda” of the Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration was realised through their budget implementation in the 2024 fiscal year.
He stressed the need for medical personnel to attend to patents with caution, adding that ”anxiety moves in when people are sick but when they are relaxed, they are better treated.”
Onwo, who commented the ministry and it’s parastatals for increased revenue in the outgoing year, noting that in spite of their numerous challenges, they were still able to achieve 52 per cent budget performance.
”It is very commendable and encouraging. I know by next year, they will do more, ” he said.
Onwo assured MDAs of the committee’s readiness to partner with them by ensuring better service delivery.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Philomena Okeowo, noted that as part of its responsibilities toward realising the governor’s MORE agenda, the ministry had been providing supervisory functions and support services to all the MDAs under it.
”The ministry ensures quality health care service delivery through its 515 service delivery points (two tertiary institutions, 66 secondary health facilities and 449 primary health care centres).
”The ministry also provides training for its health workforce and it is responding to public health issues,” she said.
Okeowo disclosed that the ministry was able to generate N973.3 million between January and November, as against the N1,066,245,000 approved revenue estimate for the ministry in 2023.
According to her, the sector has generated 159 per cent of the estimated year 2023 revenue between January and November.
She said that the ministry was proposing the sum of N1.691 billion as revenue estimate for 2024.
Okeowo further stated that the ministry was proposing the sum of N1.8 billion as capital budget for next year.
She noted that the amount was inadequate, adding that the ministry had an outstanding commitment of N11.7 billion with consideration of new projects.
”Against this backdrop, I wish to humbly appeal to the chairman and members of the committee to kindly consider the request for more funds to accommodate and adopt holistically the proposed 2024 budgetary estimates, ” Okeowo said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Hospitals Management Board, State Health Insurance Scheme, Asaba Specialist Hospital took turn to defend their respective budget proposals.
Others were Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara and Drug Revolution Fund. (NAN)
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December 8, 2023 @ 16:01 GMT|
Tags: Ferguson Onwo
