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NDDC: Beyond Annual Ritual Of Free Healthcare Outreaches

Published

7 years ago

August 12, 2019

According to the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Professor Nelson Brambaifa, the interventionist agency is poised to conduct soon, its 2019 free healthcare outreach for Niger Delta communities. This disclosure came during a courtesy visit to his office by the Vice Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Ebbi Robinson. In a statement made available to journalists and signed by Nancy Ijaopo, a media aide to the NDDC MD, the agency also intends to renovate and equip some cottage hospitals across the nine mandate states under its statutory purview. The envisaged free healthcare exercise is a continuation of an annual ritual by the commission since 2004 and comprises a one-week intensive delivery of free healthcare services to as many patients that can be mobilised to a location. Apparently, the locations for launching the exercise vary from year to year. By the commission’s claim, the free healthcare exercise has benefitted over two million people in the oil rich zone since its inception in 2004.
In its contemporary setting, a free health care programme enjoys significant merit within any benefitting community as it provides them with waivers of whole or portions of patient payable fees for medical treatment. For the Niger Delta area and even across the entire country, the waiving of medical fees provides invaluable relief to beneficiaries, by reducing the financial burdens many of them face in sourcing money for medical treatment. In any cases even when the money may be available, the facilities for medical service delivery are far and not immediately accessible, thereby leaving patients in a quandary.
In another vein, budgetary considerations have been cited as restricting the free healthcare service in variety and scope. Hence, for instance, the NDDC exercise lasts for just a week in each particular year, and the range of services is similarly limited, making the entire free healthcare service a largely salutary measure when compared to the humongous scope of healthcare challenges of the Niger Delta region. Among the typical challenges of the zone is the difficult terrain which prevents easy movement of the sick from home to hospital. Added to this is its serial neglect by past administrations at the federal level with the attendant result of denial of critical infrastructure including hospitals in the zone.
It was to improve on the situation that the commission since 2010 planned to establish world class medical facility in the region in collaboration with foreign interests. Nine years since that initiative was born, it is yet to see the light of day, leaving the current leadership the opportunity to write their names in history by changing the project’s history. Hence, while the 2019 free healthcare exercise may engage the sights of the NDDC leadership for now, nothing precludes them from giving life and flesh to the proposed worldclass healthcare institution. Among the reasons for fast-tracking the establishment of the envisaged world-class healthcare facility, is the need to reverse the narrative that the annual free healthcare service is the flagship of the commission’s health management agenda for the region.
In its operational blueprint and budgetary proposals, the commission promotes a robust agenda for healthcare management which spans the entire gamut of areas needy of intervention. Regrettably, however, the story of project management by the NDDC especially before the advent of the present management, has not been without multiplicity of instances of less than optimal discretion, with the attendant consequence that several projects of strategic significance suffer avoidable compromise and even outright truncations. This syndrome in the operations of the commission reportedly reached its apogee from June 2015 when crass politicisation of its leadership became an unbridled affair. It is therefore not unlikely that several projects including the envisaged world-class healthcare facility, may have ended up as mere still births.
However, with the sterling antecedents in the demanding academic terrain of the current Managing Director of NDDC, Professor Nelson Brambrainfa as a world acclaimed pharmacist, the game changing prospects of the expected healthcare facility cannot be lost on him. While the commission remains justified in paying attention to cottage hospitals which are invaluable to the grassroot communities, it is also time to look beyond baseline targets.

Featured

RSG Floats MNET Culture Content Promo

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.

He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.

He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.

“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.

Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.

The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.

On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.

Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.

With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.

He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.

Kevin Nengia

Featured

APC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.

The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.

The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.

President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.

The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.

The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.

Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.

Featured

2027: Be Politically Neutral, Fubara Tasks Traditional Rulers

Published

1 week ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged traditional rulers in the State to maintain neutrality, ensure fairness and uphold peace in their domains as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Fubara gave the charge on Wednesday while declaring open the 126th, 127th and 128th Combined Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, in Port Harcourt.

The governor said the primary function of traditional rulers is to administer justice and ensure fairness, saying their conduct must not lead to division and unmanageable crises.

“Let me therefore, request, if that is the right word to use, that please, as we are entering into this political season actively, everyone should ensure that your conduct promoted peace in your place. Your actions should not be what would lead to the division and multiple crisis that we cannot manage as a government.

“I think with that, we can all live as one and we can also continue to make this progress that we are trying with all our mind, our body and our soul, to ensure that we deliver to our dear State,” he said.

Fubara urged the royal fathers to abide by the oath and constitution they swore to before ascending their respective stools, in the interest of stability and progress of the State.

He also enjoined them to set aside individual sentiments and place the interest of Rivers State above personal considerations, noting that this principle has guided his own day-to-day governance of the State.

“I want to enjoin everyone to keep aside issues of individual sentiments and ensure that the interest of our state supersedes whatever thing that we have in our mind. This is not just what I’m saying here, it is what I’ve also practiced and displayed in my day-to-day life in the governance of our dear State,” he said.

On the appeal for improved welfare for traditional rulers, the governor clarified that the delay in actualising some of the requests they made in the past was not from the government but from the inability of the Council to put its house in order.

Fubara explained that the issue of stipends paid to the traditional rulers by the local government councils, was a statutory benefit provided for in the constitution and not what a state governor can change by mere verbal pronouncements.

He assured that he remains a man of his word and will fulfill his promises to the traditional rulers before leaving office, next year.

He reaffirmed his respect for the traditional institution as custodians of culture and the closest link to the people, thanking them for their prayers and support.

The governor urged the royal fathers to ensure that the combined quarterly meeting featured fruitful deliberations that will strengthen peace and development in the State.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Chike Amadi Worlu Wodo, expressed profound gratitude to the State Government for its efforts in maintaining a cordial relationship with the traditional institution.

Wodo highlighted the importance of traditional rulers in conflict resolution, noting that their closeness to the people places them in a strategic position to mediate in disputes involving chieftaincy matters, family disputes and land ownership in their respective communities.

The royal father drew the attention of the State Government to some challenges affecting the performance of the traditional institution, particularly the lack of official utility vehicles and logistical support needed to discharge its responsibilities effectively.

He also appealed for improved monthly stipends and better welfare provisions to reflect prevailing economic realities.