By Jude Michael
Commercial tricycle operators in Awka have expressed satisfaction over the health insurance free premium awarded by the Chukwuma Soludo Government to their members who fulfill their tax obligation.
A cross-section of the commercial tricyclists plying along Regina Caeli Road to Eke Awka, and Unizik-Okpuno Road to Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu routes, who spoke to our reporter recently, applauded Governor Soludo for the health insurance service, adding that he had done exceptionally well in other sectors, especially road infrastructure, within a short period of two years.
Among them are the Chairman, Keke Unizik Bus Stand, Mr Johnpaul Nnaegbune; Mr Emmanuel Okoye; Mr Ifeanyichukwu, among others.
Mr Nnaegbune affirmed that the health insurance service to them was free of charge.
‘Once you’re paying a tax, it only takes you going to the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency’s office at Agu-Awka with your tax payment code number.
‘Present the code number to them, you’ll be enrolled in the service with a hospital of your choice and issued with a card,’ he said.
Mr Okoye and Mr Ifeanyichukwu said though they had not fallen sick since they were enrolled in the service last year but affirmed that it was real and working.
Contributing, Ifeanyichukwu, Okoye, and Nnaegbune maintained in their separate responses that no governor, even those that ruled eight years, did what Governor Soludo had done in Anambra within just two years.
‘We, the keke riders in Anambra, Awka in particular, are solidly behind him; we promise him our votes for his second term,’ they stated.
However, some of the commercial tricyclists, among whom are Mr Kingsley Ani and other anonymous respondents plying Unizik-Arthur-Eze Eke-Awka route said they had never heard of the health insurance free premium for them.
Mr Ani and his colleagues, who admitted that Governor Soludo had done well for them, appealed to the Soludo Government to ensure that adequate information about policies concerning them was well communicated.
The commercial tricyclists, who described the relationship between them and the government as symbiotic, expressed disappointment that information about a programme such as the health insurance free premium made for them was not well disseminated.
