A statement by the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, that women who deliver at primary health care facilities in the state would be given N500 has caused outrage from Nigerians.
The Governor made the statement on Wednesday during a programme on Channels Television, Sunrise Daily.
Ikpeazu said, “Abia State has keyed into the basic health insurance for pregnant women. If you give birth in any of our centres, you get N500. Delivery is free; they give you a delivery pack and N500, which is running for the vulnerable members of the society.”
Furthermore, when the governor was asked what the money would do in the life of the new mothers, he said, “Free delivery, are you asking a poor woman what will she do with N500? Some people don’t have it. At least it will pay their way back home.”
However, his comment has sparked outrage especially on the microblogging site, Twitter.
A Twitter user, @EgboDaniel1, simply said, “Abia state haven’t had basic leadership since 1999. From Orji Uzo Kalu to Theodore Orji to Okezie Ikpeazu; it has been one disaster to the other.”
Another tweep, @uchesame, wrote, “Okezie Ikpeazụ needs to be flogged like a baby seriously. The boldness with which he said that #500 is damn too annoying.”
Moreso, another user of the platform, @Sports_Doctor2, tweeted, “A sitting state governor that doesn’t know how much he’s owing resident doctors in his state!!! If clueless was a man, he would be my state governor, Okezuo Ikpeazu! My heart can’t take this anymore mehn Last man you’re owning doctors 22 MONTHS SALARY!!!” (sic)
According to the Abia State Strategy Health Development Plan, there are 687 primary health care centres across the 17 Local Government Areas in the state.
The governor said the state operates a free delivery policy and a N500 take-home package as an initiative of the basic health insurance for pregnant women.