Godwin Akor, Makurdi
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has signed into law a bill for the establishment of Benue State Health Insurance Scheme which is to facilitate the establishment of the State Health Insurance Agency.
The Benue State Health Insurance Scheme is structured to cover the formal and informal sectors, as well as the category of people who are vulnerable such as the aged, the very poor and the disabled who have no means with which to pay for insurance services.
Governor Ortom who assented to the bill at Benue Peoples House, in Makurdi, expressed optimism that the state health insurance scheme would address the medical needs of the people in urban and rural settings.
Governor Ortom has also signed two bills for the conversion of Alfred Akawe Torkula College of Advanced and Professional Studies, AATCAPS, to Alfred Akawe Torkula Polytechnic Makurdi and Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture Yandev to Akperan Orshi Polytechnic Yandev.
He said the two institutions were part of his administration’s deliberate efforts to reposition the education sector to meet challenges of the 21st century.
The governor stated that the assent was only the beginning of the process and that proactive steps would be taken to secure the necessary regulatory approvals to admit, train and graduate people who would add greater value to the state.
He urged the Benue State Executive Council to speedily approve recommendations contained in the report on the polytechnics and called on host communities to take advantage of opportunities created by siting of the institutions in their areas.
Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Titus Uba while presenting the bills to the Governor for assent, acknowledged the enormous benefits that would be derived from the initiatives and solicited sustained support of the people.
Commissioner for Education in the state, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, congratulated Governor Ortom on the feat and for his determination to uplift the standard of education in the state, giving assurance that the Ministry would hasten the process for accreditation of the two institutions.