The Ogun State government has introduced the Cashless Policy in all state-owned hospitals, in line with the state government’s effort to ensure financial transparency in the health sector.
The Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Finance, Mrs Ajibola Chokor, revealed this at a sensitisation meeting with the stakeholders on the need for the policy in Abeokuta, while reiterating government’s determination to deliver qualitative and accessible services to the citizenry.

The Permanent Secretary hinted that the move would ensure transparency and accountability in the revenue generation process of government, reduce revenue leakages and curb the incidents of robbery attacks in the hospitals.

Mrs. Chokor maintained that the state was already practising the policy in its revenue collection in all government-owned tertiary institutions, adding that it had helped to increase revenue generation by about 20 per cent.

She urged the participants to ensure that the policy is well implemented for it to be accepted by the public, noting that it would also assist the government in developing an accurate and sustainable financial model for each hospital as well as ensure efficiency and reduce cash handling.

Head of the state Hospital Management Board, Dr. Doyin Sodipe, allayed the fears of the revenue collectors of job loss, saying that rather they should see the policy as complementing their duties.

According to the Project Director in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Gabriel Olukoga, the policy would assist in book-keeping and transaction processing. He added that the policy had been tested and seen to be more secure, safer and faster.