Niger State Contributory Health Agency (NiCare) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Niger Food security systems and logistics company limited (Niger Foods) for the enrolment of farmers into the State’s health insurance scheme, targeting 350,000 farmers in the state.
The partnership, which aims to provide health insurance for teeming farmers in the State and also ease their out-of-pocket expenditures when the need for medical attention arises, is inline with NiCare advocacy to the organisation on enrollment of farmers into the State health insurance scheme.
Executive secretary of NiCare, Sulayman Abu-bakr, who spoke during the MoU signing ceremony in Minna, Nigeria State, said the development was a visionary step towards transforming the lives of farmers and communities in the State, in alignment with the strategic agenda set forth by the State Governor for the betterment of Niger State.
It was gathered that over the past couple of weeks, NiCare has forged meaningful partnerships with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) within the state to identify areas of collaboration in an effort to drive the NEW NIGER agenda of the Farmer Governor. One of these notable partnerships is the collaboration that is forged with the Niger Foods.
Abubakar noted that in Niger State, agriculture is not just an occupation; it is a way of life. “A cornerstone of our heritage and prosperity. Our farmers toil tirelessly, cultivating the land and nurturing our bounty, yet their invaluable contributions often go unnoticed. Today, we stand here to change that narrative, to honour our farmers as the heroes they truly are,” he said.
Earlier, during an advocacy visit to the Niger Foods office in Minna, by the NiCare team led by the executive secretary, the executive director of Niger Foods, Onyaole Patience Koku, had stated that Niger Foods was making efforts to improve conditions of farmers especially in the area of mental health during financial and asset losses.
She said during a meeting held recently with the Niger State governor, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago; he declared that his government would strive to make farmers heroes as it used to be in the past which was in tune with their company’s slogan “Make Farmers Great”.
Onyaole opined that Niger State has the largest land mass capable of providing more than five hundred thousand arable hectares of land with an immeasurable potential to boost food production, generate internal revenue, and create massive employment opportunities.
She expressed optimism that the coalition between the agency and her company would yield positive results because it will give farmers who are mostly in the informal sector of the economy a sense of belonging by providing them with the best healthcare services available.
