The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Edo State Traditional Medicine Practitioners, High Chief Godwin Ugbesia, has given a thumbs up to the state governor, Monday Okpebholo, for his strings of achievements within the short period of his assumption of office with a promise that the tradomedical board will give him the support he needs to do more.
In a chat with Popular News, Chief Ugbesia, while thanking the governor for deeming him to be the right person to lead the tradomedical practitioners board, recalled that the immediate past governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki totally neglected the tradomedical practitioners and thus didn’t set up the board.
He asserted that the traditional medicine board was created to regulate tradomedical practice and also checkmate quackery in the sector, adding that it’s a board that takes care of life.
According to him, Governor Okpebholo by all standards is an achiever who has made everybody, especially the Esan people, proud adding “we’re happy hearing people praying for him all over. So far I have not seen him make any mistake. God should bless him and give him long life.
“He is working all over the state not leaving any area untouched. He is working in accordance with how it should be. I am proud of him and I believe that all Esans are proud of him.
Chief Ugbesia recalled that when he officially assumed office in April he had to rejig what he met on ground which was not encouraging.
“As it’s now I have been able to gather together so many groups and association of traditional medical practitioners in Edo State. At the first meeting we had there were about 300 traditional medical practitioners from five associations in attendance.
“Presently, we have 32 associations on our membership list. By the 3rd of June we are having a meeting inside the Victor Uwaifo Hub on Airport Road, Benin. We are expecting not less a thousand members to be in attendance at the meeting to let them know the importance of tradomedical practice; to let them know our do’s and don’ts etc.”
On its regulation assignment, Chief Ugbesia charged traditional medical practitioners in the state on the need to come and obtain their licence.
“There’s a certificate of operating. It’s very important for a traditional medical practitioner to have a certificate of operating. Anything can come up and if you dont have a document as backup you will be on your own.
“Before license will be issued to anyone he will go through screening to confirm his competence. Such a person will also tell us his area of specialisation. You will not tell us that you have a cure for all ailments. It doesn’t happen that way. When we confirm your area of specialisation we will now know the kind of certificate we will give you.”
He disclosed that “the board also generates revenue for the government. When the government sees our performance they will know the importance of the board. The revenue generated by the board can be used in taking care of some aspects of governance.”
Discussion about this post