Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo has approved free medical care for workers in the state's workforce as part of the state's Social Health Insurance Scheme.
Uzodimma gave the approval at a town hall meeting he held with top management staff of the Imo Civil Service, in Owerri on Tuesday.
The governor said the gesture was part of efforts to ensure that civil servants in the state remained healthy and well positioned to carry out their duties.
He added that more than 47,000 verified workers in the state would be captured by the scheme.
Uzodima therefore, directed the state's Ministry of Health to immediately commence the process of getting all verified workers into the free medical scheme.
He also said that workers, at both state and Local Government levels, would be receiving medical care from government owned hospitals and designated private hospitals.
" Health is wealth. We therefore remain committed to improving the health and by extension the productivity of civil servants in our state's workforce.
" I've been told it would cost N500 million to sustain this health insurance but that notwithstanding, I remain committed to it," the governor said.
The state's Head of Service, Mr Raymond Ucheoma, commended the governor for the kindness and untiring support to the welfare of workers.
He described the gesture as "a historic landmark and one of a kind", noting that the promise would reinvigorate workers to continue putting in their best.
Uzodimma reassured workers who were due for promotion that they would all be promoted to boost their morale.
He also said that the shortfall in the number of teachers required by the Imo State Education Management Board (SEMB) would soon be a thing of the past as government had finalised plans to engage more teachers.
Recall that the meeting was attended by Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state.
Others are permanent secretaries, directors of ministries, chairman of the Imo Internal Revenue Service and the general manager, Imo Data Centre.
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