FG moves to address drug access in neglected regions- ICRC D-G 

FG moves to address drug access in neglected regions- ICRC D-G 

Dr Jobson  Ewalefoh,  the Director-General (D-G) , Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), has applauded the approval of the MEDIPOOL project as a major breakthrough towards addressing drug access in Nigeria’s most underserved regions.

This is contained in a statement issued by Ifeanyi Nwoko, Acting Head, Media and Publicity, ICRC in Abuja on Sunday,.

Nwoko said the project was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Ewalefoh said approval of the project, which also includes the six Megawatts Ikere Gorge Hydropower Project and the Federal Coastal Fishery Terminal, Borokiri Fishing Terminal,  would improve the lives of Nigerians.

“Imagine a Nigeria where no child dies due to the unavailability of vaccines, where every health facility, no matter how remote,, has access to life-saving drugs.

“That future begins now, with the MEDIPOOL Project.

“MEDIPOOL is just the beginning under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are driving infrastructure delivery across all sectors, ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind.”

He added that with MediPool, Tinubu was  restoring hope to neglected regions by ensuring access to essential medicines, which “is a right, not a privilege, for all Nigerians.”

Ewalefoh said the  MEDIPOOL initiative, part of the Presidential Initiative for unlocking the healthcare value chain, aimed to centralise the procurement and distribution of essential medicines, vaccines, and consumables.

He said this would be achieved through a high-efficiency Group Purchasing Organisation (GPO).

Ewalefoh emphasised that the project would not only promote transparency and affordability but also ensure that no region was left behind, particularly rural and hard-to-reach areas that had historically suffered from poor access to medicines.

He said in addition to MediPool, FEC  approved the Ikere Gorge Hydropower project (Oyo State), which was originally initiated under the Obasanjo military regime.

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Ewalefoh said the dam would be redeveloped under a Finance-Build-Operate-Transfer (FBOT) structure to generate over six megawatts of electricity.

He said the dam would also provide potable water to towns like Iseyin and Saki and irrigate thousands of hectares of farmlands.

Ewalefoh listed other projects as the Coastal Fisheries Terminal (Borokiri, Rivers State).

“This project aims to boost Nigeria’s fishery value chain through modern cold-chain logistics, job creation, and enhanced export capability.

He said these PPP initiatives aligned with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to transform Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape, enhance service delivery, and stimulate inclusive economic growth.

Ewalefoh said the ICRC would continue to provide regulatory oversight to ensure project transparency, value for money, and full alignment with global PPP standards.