Gov. Godwin Obaseki:

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Wednesday said that the state government has taken over the medical bills of no fewer than 16 indigent patients, including a nursing mother who recently returned from Libya.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that office of the Chief of Staff to the governor, Taiwo Akerele, took over the payment of the medical bills.

NAN also reports that the indigent patients were chosen from Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Women and Children Hospital, both in Benin, Edo South senatorial district of the state.

The governor said the gesture would be extended to other senatorial districts of the state.

Obaseki was represented by the Senior Special Assistant/Personal Assistant and Administration officer to the Chief of Staff, Jaspa Olowojoba.

Obaseki said his administration was committed to improving facilities in all government-owned hospitals across the state to ensure delivery of better healthcare services to the people.

One of the beneficiaries, a fibroid patient identified simply as Tina, said, “I have always loved him and God will continue to bless him for all of us Edo people.

“He is a nice man and he is well educated and respect people a lot. I love him. I have spent eight days here where I had fibroid operation.”

Another beneficiary, Happy Edoror, a Libyan returnee and mother of a six weeks old baby, said her baby became ill shortly after they arrived from Libya.

While stressing that she became stranded as she was unable to pay the hospital bills of her baby, Happy said she was elated by the intervention of the governor.

She appealed to the governor for a job after nursing her baby whose father, a Libyan she said, still calls her.

“She is six weeks old; her father is in Libya, but still calls me. I thank the governor for paying the medical bills of my baby.

“I also want the government to help me so that I can be working because right now, I don’t have anything that I am doing,”she said.