The Chief Whip of the Abia State House of Assembly and Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon. Emeka Tommy Jacob-Obioma, has reiterated the legislature’s commitment to strengthening the state’s health system through rigorous oversight, budget monitoring, and continuous policy reform.
He made this known after leading a strategic team of lawmakers on a comprehensive inspection of major health agencies across the state.
Obioma, who was accompanied by Hon. Boniface Isienyi, Member representing Ikwuano State Constituency, and Hon. Dennis Rowland Chinwendu Ceaser, Member representing Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency, emphasized that the oversight was a critical exercise aimed at ensuring accountability and efficiency within the health institutions funded by the state government.
“Our duty is to ensure that public resources are managed responsibly and that they translate into real improvements in the lives of our citizens,” Obioma said.
“We undertook this oversight visit because we want to see firsthand how the 2025 budget is being implemented and whether our health agencies are meeting their mandates to the people.”
The team visited four key health institutions whose operations play a central role in the well-being of Abia residents.
These included:
• Abia State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (ABSACA) led by Dr. Mrs. Emma Uloaku Ukaegbu
• Abia State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) headed by Dr. Chidoziem Egwuowu
• Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA) under Dr. Kalu Ulu Kalu
• Abia State Health Management Board (HMB) led by Dr. Mrs. Azubuike
During each visit, the lawmakers held detailed engagements with agency executives, reviewed financial reports, examined project documentation, and assessed operational performance.
Hon. Obioma explained that a key objective of the oversight was to evaluate the implementation of the 2025 Appropriation Act, particularly in relation to capital projects, recurrent spending, and the percentage of funds released so far.
“We examined the budget performance of each agency because we want to ensure that funds are not only released but are used judiciously,” he stated.
“Our people deserve to see tangible results, not abandoned projects or inefficient service delivery.”
He added that the committee was particularly concerned about how effectively public investments were being converted into improved healthcare outcomes for citizens.
The oversight team identified several systemic challenges across the agencies, including funding gaps, staffing shortages, infrastructure deficits, and logistical constraints that hinder effective operation.
Hon Tommy Obioma stressed that addressing these issues would require a collaborative approach between the legislature, the executive, and the leadership of the health institutions.
“We cannot ignore the gaps we observed,” he said.
“Staffing shortages, infrastructure decay, and other operational bottlenecks must be tackled with urgency. These challenges directly affect service delivery, and we will make sure they are captured in our legislative recommendations.”
Beyond administrative reviews, the lawmakers evaluated how the services of each agency impact the health and well-being of Abians. This included assessing HIV/AIDS intervention results, primary healthcare functionality, and the effectiveness of the state health insurance scheme.
Obioma noted that the core purpose of the oversight was to ensure that citizens receive value from government-funded programs.
“Every Abian has the right to accessible and affordable healthcare,” he emphasized.
“Our role is to guarantee that these agencies are delivering real impact, not just activities on paper. The health of our people is too important to be mismanaged.”
The Chief Whip reaffirmed that the insights gathered would guide future legislative actions, including interventions to strengthen policy implementation, restructure funding patterns, and improve general oversight of the health sector.
“We remain fully committed to transparency, efficiency, and accountability,” Obioma declared. “The findings from this oversight exercise will inform our decisions moving forward. Our objective is simple: to build a robust health system where every citizen can access quality and affordable care.”
The oversight visit marks another step in the House of Assembly’s broader agenda to reform critical sectors and strengthen public institutions as part of the state’s development roadmap.
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