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RIVCHPP INTENSIFIES ADVOCACY: VISITS MINISTRIES OF COMMERCE AND TRANSPORT, SEEK PARTNERSHIP TOWARDS INCREASED ENROLMENT.

Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), has taken its advocacy visits to the Ministries of Commerce and Transport at the State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt on Tuesday,  2nd December,  2025.

The Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP,  Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala, who led RIVCHPP team on the visits, explained that it is the avowed interest of the health insurance agency to  see to it that more and more Rivers residents,  especially those in the informal sector of the economy,  are brought onto the platform of those enjoying healthcare services without the people paying heavily at the time they need such healthcare services.

At the office of the Commissioner for Commerce,  Dr. Agala said that the Ministry of Commerce is a critical stakeholder that will help RIVCHPP reach out to those in the informal sector of the economy,  saying that the informal sector population is still largely untapped.

RIVCHPP's Executive Secretary stated that though Rivers residents are enjoying the packages of RIVCHPP to better their health quality,  yet a good number of the state's population are not on the insurance scheme,  which has necessitated the advocacy visit to solicit the support of stakeholders to reach out to the population that are uncovered.

Dr. Agala explained that the 2021 RIVCHPP law stated that any organisation that has at least 5 persons working in it, forms a firm or enterprise,  SME, cooperatives and entrepreneurs ought to be on an insurance policy,  recommending RIVCHPP as the fit insurance agency for organisations in Rivers State.

She then called on the Commissioner for Commerce to use the various directorates of the Ministry to help RIVCHPP reach out to the different entrepreneurs,  traders, organisations,  and industries operational in the state.

In welcoming RIVCHPP's team to his office,  the Commissioner for Commerce,  Warisenibo Joe Johnson,  commended RIVCHPP for the work they do, promising to partner the health insurance agency in increasing its enrollment.

Warisenibo Johnson, who said that Governor Siminialayi Fubara is building a business friendly economy through his various laudable policies,  assured RIVCHPP that the Ministry will serve as a springboard to  reach out to  the various organisations in the informal sector of the state.

At the Ministry of Transport,  the Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP,  Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala,  who expressed gratitude to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry,  Dr.(Mrs) Ndidi Chikanele Utchay for being one of those that midwived RIVCHPP while serving as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health,  shared some success story of RIVCHPP with her.

Dr. Agala said that RIVCHPP is on the advocacy visit to the Ministry of Transport to serve as a platform to reach to those in the transportation sector of the state to come on board RIVCHPP's health insurance packages.

RIVCHPP's Executive Secretary, who used the medium to thank Governor Siminialayi Fubara for making RIVCHPP functional because of his love for the people of the State,  said that majority of the about 9 million population of Rivers State are in the informal sector.

Dr. Agala stated that the health insurance agency will be doing a disservice to humanity and the governor if the people in the informal sector are not on the health insurance scheme, hence the decision to embark on the visit to solicit the support of the Ministry of Transport to reach out to the different transport unions in the state.

On her part,  the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Transport,  Dr. Ndidi Chikanele Utchay,  who congratulated Dr. Agala and RIVCHPP team on the work they do, promised to partner the health insurance agency by liaising with the different Transport unions,  and creating a platform where officials of RIVCHPP and the various unions can interface.

Dr. Utchay assured RIVCHPP that the Ministry will do all within its powers to see that the laudable project of improving the health of the various drivers in the state is accepted and bought in by all unions under the Ministry's purview.

The RIVCHPP Business Development and Marketing team,  Mr. Alex, the Director of Administration,  Dr. Emmyson Emeka Emordi,  and the Health of Quality Assurance,  who were  part of the advocacy visits, buttressed the facts stated by the Executive Secretary, explaining what the packages for those in the informal sector entail.

At the visits , flyers and  policy-packages of RIVCHPP were distributed.