In Ekiti State, over five hundred farmers and farm managers have benefited from the free medical outreach facilitated by the Senior Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor on Farm Settlement and Agriculture Mr.Temitope Adewole
The beneficiaries have access to free eye checks, glasses, diabetes and hypertension screening, drugs, and dental services.
Addressing the beneficiaries, the Senior Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor on Farm Settlement and Agriculture Mr.Temitope Adewole explained that the initiative was to extend the free medical care services of Governor Biodun Oyebanji to farmers who may not have the opportunity to visit primary health care centres, perhaps due to their busy schedule on the farm.
According to him, the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji is passionate about increasing annual outputs towards ensuring surplus food production, a foresight he said could only be achieved if farmers are healthy and fit.
He said:“I would like to start by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to our hardworking farmers in Ekiti because they have made us proud. They have made this government proud by turning several of the Governor’s initiatives into reality.
“As you can see, last year we recorded a food surplus in Ekiti, and that is because of the various initiatives implemented by Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji.
“The Governor approved the free clearing of farmlands for farmers, I am referring to a total free clearing of one hectare. One hectare is equivalent to 15 plots. In some cases, 10 hectares or 20 hectares are cleared for an individual at no cost. That is free clearing.
“There is also a 50 percent subsidy on agrochemicals and a 50 percent subsidy on mechanisation. For instance, if mechanisation costs ₦100,000, the farmer only needs to pay ₦50,000. Our able and hardworking farmers have taken advantage of these initiatives and have turned them into reality, resulting in food surplus across the state. That is why I give kudos to our farmers and kudos to the government of the day, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji.
“Beyond the initiatives in agriculture, the Governor has also implemented several initiatives in the health sector. Last year, renovation of hospitals in Ekiti commenced. Thirteen hospitals have already been renovated, and nine are currently undergoing renovation.
“In the primary healthcare sector across the 16 local governments in Ekiti State, 103 facilities have been revitalised. Through the Ulera Insurance Scheme, almost 500,000 Ekiti residents have accessed healthcare services free of charge.
“A state-of-the-art mammogram machine has also been installed, enabling proper cancer screening but I noticed that our farmers may be too engaged to access this services that’s why I came up with this idea to enable them check their health status
Speaking during the exercise, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Babatope Ojo,the Executive Secretary, Mr, Adebayo Alofe, the Special Assistant Sports Development, Kola Owoseni SSA Values Orientation, Adeola Oluwatobi among others commended Mr. Adewole for coming up with the initiative and called for the sustenance of the gesture.
Some of the farmers and managers who benefited described the exercise as an opportunity to check their health status and prevent any ailment that could affect their productivity on the farm.
