Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, yesterday, announced that a prize of N5m would be given to the Local Government Council that would achieve the highest immunisation coverage in the state this year, adding that his administration would restructure the popular Oba Market located in the heart of Benin City.
This was as the flagged off the second round of the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) at Urhokpota Ground in Benin on Friday.
Obaseki announced that the state would be introducing an immunisation championship for LGAs to improve immunisation reach and uptake in the state, while urging parents and caregivers, especially mothers, to ensure that they immunised their wards up to 59 months.
He said: “We will continue to strengthen immunisation as it provides a holistic approach to controlling of vaccine-preventable disease and reducing infant and child mortality. We will make immunization service an integral part of our health care delivery” he assured.
The governor, accompanied by his Deputy, Hon Philip Shaibu and other top government functionaries, also visited Oba market where he revealed that a crèche and primary health care centres would be constructed across markets in the state to attend to the health needs of traders as well as bringing healthcare closer to the people of Edo State.
“I have seen and inspected a space designed for clinic in Oba market, I will clean up the space and put a Primary health care clinic to cater for the health needs of the traders’ children and a crèche to take care of traders children”, he said.
He frowned at the phenomenon of street trading, which obstructed traffic, saying it was unacceptable and his administration would take drastic actions to curb the trend, while the market would be upgraded to encourage traders move into the market.
“We need to improve the facilities within the market and get Oredo local government to do its job by ensuring that they clean-up the market, install electricity and convenience facilities in the market so that people can trade in the market not in the street or walkways,” he said.
