The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening Primary Health Care, advancing Universal Health Coverage, improving maternal and child health outcomes, and ensuring inclusive access to healthcare services.

Coker also lauded the Federal Government’s National Health Fellowship Programme, describing it as a bold initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu that has significantly strengthened primary healthcare delivery across the state.

She noted that under the initiative, young professionals were deployed to support service delivery, enhance accountability, drive innovation and reinforce health systems at the grassroots across the 774 local government areas in the country.

The commissioner disclosed this on Monday during the graduation ceremony of the first cohort of 20 health fellows deployed across the 20 local government areas of the state, as well as the onboarding of the second cohort of the federal government initiative.

“Over the past year, our fellows have worked diligently across 20 local government areas and nine key thematic impact areas. Their work has not been abstract or ceremonial; it has been practical, measurable and deeply people-centred,” she said.

Coker explained that through targeted medical outreaches, over 5,000 residents were reached, with hundreds treated for malaria, hypertension and diabetes, while essential medicines were distributed free of charge.

“With the support of the health fellows, safe deliveries were facilitated and funded. Lives were not merely touched — lives were saved,” she added.

She further disclosed that thousands benefited from water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, public health facilities were renovated, and sanitary materials were distributed in schools. Community sensitisation campaigns, she said, improved hygiene practices among students and market populations, reinforcing prevention as the first line of defence in public health.

In the area of maternal and child health, Coker revealed that more than 500 women were educated on nutrition, antenatal care and safe delivery practices, while digital innovations such as MamaReach were developed to improve emergency referrals and reduce maternal mortality.

“These are not just projects — they are lifelines for vulnerable families,” she said.

The commissioner added that the fellows played critical roles in the success of the National Immunisation Plus Days and the Measles-Rubella vaccination drive by enhancing coverage monitoring across local governments and ensuring that no child was left behind.

Beyond service delivery, she noted that the fellows invested in their professional growth through structured Learning Management System modules covering leadership, public health, financial management, data analysis and systems thinking. This was complemented by global exposure through the McKinsey Forward Programme and dedicated mentorship.

Addressing the graduating fellows, Coker said, “You came as young professionals. You leave as tested leaders. You have demonstrated that when young Nigerians are empowered with knowledge, mentorship and responsibility, they can transform systems from within.

“As we welcome Cohort 2.0, you are stepping into a programme that has already set a high bar. You are also stepping into a state that believes in innovation, accountability and measurable results. Be ready to make your mark in strengthening qualitative healthcare services at the grassroots.”

She commended development partners and the foresight of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for initiating the programme, noting that it has revolutionised primary healthcare delivery across the 20 local government areas of the state.

Coker also announced cash rewards for outstanding fellows, with N200,000 awarded to the best-performing fellow, N150,000 to the second, and N100,000 each to three others who distinguished themselves in projects undertaken during the training.

Earlier, the Coordinator of Health Fellows in the state, Dr Olamide Agunbiade, said the initiative was designed to strengthen primary healthcare nationwide. He described the fellows as bridge-builders between the Federal Government and local governments, tasked with supporting the development of qualitative healthcare services at the grassroots.

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The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has endorsed the direct remittance of oil and gas revenues into the Federation Account, describing the measure as critical to enhancing fiscal transparency, predictability and constitutional alignment across all tiers of government.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Media and Strategic Communications, Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, the forum stated that its position was anchored on how the reforms improve transparency, predictability and constitutional alignment of Federation Account inflows at the federal, state and local government levels.

President Bola Tinubu signed Executive Order 9 on February 13, 2026, directing the realignment of oil and gas revenue flows with constitutional provisions and clarifying regulatory responsibilities in the petroleum sector.

The development has generated mixed reactions, with some commending the initiative and others expressing criticism.

Responding, the 36 state governors noted that the Executive Order mandated that government entitlements under production-sharing and related contracts, including royalty oil, tax oil, profit oil and profit gas, be remitted directly into the Federation Account, while reinforcing the clear delineation of regulatory responsibilities within the sector.

The NGF stated, “As a non-partisan body representing the 36 state governors of the federation, the NGF underscores that the integrity and predictability of Federation Account inflows are foundational to Nigeria’s fiscal federalism. Oil and gas revenues remain a central component of the distributable national income.

“The clarity, transparency, and predictability of those inflows directly affect capital planning, debt sustainability, infrastructure delivery, and public service provision at the federal, state, and local government levels.

“Recent Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) communiqués have consistently demonstrated a gap between gross revenue collections and final distributable sums. For subnational governments, it is the latter that determines fiscal capacity.

“When remittance pathways are layered, complex, or difficult to reconcile, fiscal predictability weakens, and that directly affects capital planning cycles across the federation at federal, state, and local government levels.

“Nigeria’s population now exceeds 220 million and continues to grow rapidly. States sit at the frontline of delivering education, primary healthcare, infrastructure, security architecture, and economic opportunity to this expanding population.”

The forum emphasised that consistent and predictable revenue streams would enhance states’ capacity to discharge these responsibilities effectively.

According to the statement, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, described the Federation Account as the backbone of the intergovernmental fiscal system.

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Protesters on Monday in Benin, Edo State, staged a demonstration over persistent blackouts and the billing system of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company.

The protesters gathered at Ring Road in the heart of Benin City before commencing the march, carrying banners reading, “We say no to BEDC oppression,” “No light, no bill,” and “Edo people say no to bulk billing.”

Governor Monday Okpebholo joined the protesters in a show of solidarity.

The protesters decried frequent outages, estimated billing, and the high cost of prepaid meters.

Ogbidi Emmanuel, speaking on behalf of the group, said residents across the state were compelled to protest what he described as “oppressive practices” by the distribution company.

“We pay for light, and they give us darkness,” he said, questioning the transparency of the company’s free meter distribution scheme.

He challenged BEDC to publish the names of beneficiaries, noting that meters reportedly cost between N150,000 and N400,000.

While addressing the crowd, Okpebholo urged calm and promised swift stakeholder engagement.

“We need to engage them to see how we can bring in more investors into the business of electricity distribution.

“Once that is done, we will all be more assured of stable power. Let us remain calm and allow the engagement to take place,” the governor appealed.

Okpebholo noted that BEDC is privately owned and not directly controlled by the state government, but assured that concrete steps would be taken to address residents’ concerns.

He announced a stakeholders’ meeting for Tuesday and invited the protesters to nominate five representatives to participate.

“I was just passing by and saw people gathered here at Ring Road. I stopped to find out what the issue was, and they said you were protesting.

“I said, yes, we are all youths, and I have come to join you. The only way we can fight this is to bring new investors into the business of distribution.

“We will break the monopoly. We want to operate like the telecom sector, where you have alternatives. Bringing in more investors will give our people options,” he said.

The protest remained peaceful throughout, with security personnel maintaining order as demonstrators dispersed after the governor’s address.

As of press time, BEDC had not issued an official response to the allegations.

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