Delta State Youth Parliament has passed a resolution urging Governor of the State, Ifeanyi Okowa, to strengthen the State’s healthcare services to ensure that rural dwellers, especially those living in coastal areas, have unfettered access.
The resolution was sequel to a motion by member representing Patani Constituency, Mr Paul Ohwofataro, during plenary on Thursday in Asaba,
The Governor had on September 8, 2020 inaugurated the first assembly of the State Youth Parliament with a call on it to use the platform to create awareness, build confidence and leadership capacity in youths.
Moving the motion, Ohwofataro urged the Governor to direct the State Ministry of Health to employ and deploy more health workers to all the rural areas of the State, especially the coastal communities.
He said deploying more health workers would go a long way in reducing the rate of deaths in the rural communities.
Ohwofataro recalled how some ‘minor ailments’ had resulted in the death of many residents in most of the rural communities, particularly the riverine dwellers.
He said except an urgent step was taken to address the trend, the situation might escalate.
Seconding the motion, member representing Ndokwa West constituency, Mr Chukwubueze Obi-Ojinka, stressed the need for the State Government to address the health needs of residents of the area.
Obi-Ojinka, while underscoring the importance of health in any given society, expressed regrets that some residents in the rural communities in the state were allegedly denied access to good health.
“In some health facilities in some rural areas, there may be a medical doctor, but fewer health assistants/workers, while some other areas do not have doctors at all. The situation is indeed worrisome.
“We call on the State Governor to direct the State Ministry of Health to engage in massive recruitment of health workers and ensure that our primary health care centres are equipped with the requisite health care facilities,” he said.
The motion was unanimously adopted by the Youth Parliament when put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Dr George Ohwoekvwo.
Also at Thursday’s plenary, the parliament passed a resolution calling on Okowa to direct the State Ministry of Basic and Primary Education to employ and deploy more teachers to schools in coastal areas.
The resolution followed a motion by the member representing Ndokwa East Constituency, Mr. Princewill Ogbolu.
Moving the motion, Ogbolu said recruiting and deploying of teachers to the areas would help to address the increasing educational gap in the area.
He said that insufficient teachers in most schools in the rural communities was a major challenge in the area.
Ogbolu said that some schools in his community have few pupils because parents were withdrawing their children and wards to the city where there were enough teachers.
The member, representing Bomadi constituency, Miss Besta Ekede, seconded the motion.
She appealed to the parliament to support the motion, saying that most of the schools in the rural communities do not have teachers for core subjects.
The motion was also unanimously adopted by the parliament when put to a voice vote by the speaker.