13/08/2025
Sokoto State Contributory Health Care Management Agency says it is ready and committed to the full implementation of the formal sector programme of Sokoto State Contributory Healthcare Scheme in the state.
Director General of the Agency, Yusuf Abu Abdulkarim, disclosed this after a stakeholders' meeting held at the Ministry of Finance Sokoto. During the meeting, final resolutions were reached between the officials of the Ministry of Finance, leadership of the NLC, TUC, and all their affiliates as well as SOCHEMA officials for the smooth take-off of the programme.
Yusuf Abu Abdulkarim said that the formal sector programme is meant for state civil servants where four percent cent of their basic would be deducted.
This he said would qualify a civil servant, his wife, and four biological children to have access to the programme.
The Director General further said a civil servant would start enjoying the programme after a 3-month waiting period from the commencement of the deductions. The waiting period is meant to allow for data capturing, uploading, and empanelment.
According to him, a civil servant has the opportunity to add additional members of his family.
The Director General used the opportunity to commend Governor Ahmad Aliyu for paving the way for the commencement of the formal sector programme.
He expressed optimism that the desired results would be achieved.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner of Finance Engineer Jabbi Shagari noted that the formal sector programme was specifically aimed to provide qualitative and accessible health care services to all cadres of the state Civil Servants.
The commissioner praised the effort of the management of SOCHEMA for making adequate preparations for the commencement of the programme.
He also acknowledged the support and cooperation of all other stakeholders, which helped toward achieving the successes so far recorded.
In his remarks, the chairman of the State chapter of the NLC, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu Jungle represented by his vice, Comrade Yabo re-assured of the Union's readiness to ensure effective monitoring of the programme with a view to ensuring that all the agreement reached were strictly adhered to.
It could be recalled that SOCHEMA, NLC, TUC, and all other Unions and their affiliates had earlier last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the programme to kick-start.
