The federal lawmaker representing Akoko North/West of Ondo State at the National Assembly, Honourable Ifeoluwa Ehindero, has declared his intention to advocate for a mandatory Health Insurance Bill specifically for Nigerian media practitioners. He emphasized that the health of journalists is crucial for productivity within the workplace if their employers.
Ehindero made this announcement during a media parkeyy with members of the Association of Ondo Media Practitioners (AOMP), which was part of his activities commemorating his first year in the National Assembly.
According to him, the proposed National Assembly Bill aimed at addressing the challenges faced by media professionals nationwide is essential, considering the occupational hazards in the field.
The lawmaker reminisced on his stewardship in the last year. Narrating the compelling account of his achievements, the Akoko-born lawmaker touches on critical factors that shape his one year in office cum success stories, both at the national level, constituency and the legislative projection for the year ahead.
Fielding question from the visiting journalist in his office, Ehidero, known as a promoter of journalists welfare could not hide his enthusiasm receiving his kinsmen who are in the journalism profession. He frowned at the carefree attitude of employers in the media industry towards their plights, particularly in the areas of healthcare.
“No one expected his workers to be productive when they are not healthy. So, worker’s health matters. “As you walk in, you will notice that my secretary is missing in the office at the moment. When I noticed she was not well despite the fact that she was willing to work, I had to discharge her to go home and rest.
“I made provision for her with some cash to go take care of herself. You will be shocked that she has only typhoid. As we speak, she is on the drip. She’s been on admission since Friday morning, but now she is doing well.” He empathized.
The lawmaker reveals his legislative plans to address misnomers in the media industry as regards journalists’ health. He promised to use his good office to help facilitate a legislative bill on health care delivery for journalists nationwide.
According to the Grand patron of the Association of Ondo Media Practitioners, such a Bill, when passed into law, will help ameliorate on-the-job challenges media men are facing, particularly on health-related matters.
“The point you raised is very vital, I think this is something we should look into. If this will involve drafting a Bill that media practitioners should be on compulsory Health Insurance, it is something we have to work on together.
“I urge you, the journalists, to join me in conducting more findings on the workability of the Bill to address health issues among journalists and drop your reports in my office for further legislative actions” ” he assured.
It would be recalled, how Ehindero had awarded schorlarship for the daughter of a journalist, the late John Olasunkanmi Oba, whose sudden death shocked the media Industry in August last year, and equally played a pivotal role in the burial of the journalist, believed to have passed under avoidable circumstances as many before him.
The lawmaker has since emphasized the need for journalists to look after their health as he urged media employers to pursue the welfare of media men while still alive.
The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Correctional Institution, who has just been appointed the Chairman, Committee on Student Loans, Scholarships, Higher Education Financing and NELFUND, also speaks on sundry issues, including the decongestion of about 100 correctional facilities within the one year of his presence as a member of the Committee.
“There were the Committee interventions, and likewise individuals, but I’m sure of four at individual level, and we also achieved this feat when we go as a team of ten members of the Committee.
“There was a Director from the Ministry of Justice that works with the DG of the Nigerian Correctional Service at the time; we had to engage them in taking some actions, which helped to decongest over a hundred across Nigeria.
Concerning our relationship with colleagues at NASS, yes, we do, basically at the Committee level. Your constituency might need something that you don’t have the privilege of being on the committee, but you are a friend to someone who chairs a committee or other strategic positions. The synergy is crucial, and that is the only way you can make a meaningful impact outside your own territory.” the lawmaker opined.
Ehindero, who was recently honoured with appointment as the Grand-patron of the Association of Ondo Media Practitioners (AOMP), tell the visiting press the synergy among lawmakers representing Ondo State, says the people of the state will soon breathe a sigh of relief over the dilapidated state of the federal roads across the state, given efforts of the legislatures from the state.
“We have a caucus. We actually hold meetings, and during the budget period, we still engage ourselves on how to assist our state in facilitating jobs among others; even from the senatorial district, we have all of that. It will also interest you to know that we have been able to facilitate road construction through the Committee on Works; you will begin to see lots of road construction across Ondo State based on our intervention.” Ehindero said.
It would be recalled that the Ifeoluwa Ehindero, had replaced the current Minister of Interior, Hon Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, in the National Assembly, following the ministerial appointment of the latter by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in 2023, creating a representation vacuum for the Akoko North/West federal constituency, hence the emergence of Ehindero in a landslide election victory of January …2024.
The bye-election was held by the Independent National Electoral Commission on 3 February 2024, which he won with 35,504 votes, defeating his closest rival, Olalekan Bada from the Peoples Democratic Party, who had 15,328 votes.
