Nation
THE STATES
Benue
An Anglican Bishop, Bishop Nathan Inyom, has appealed to the management of Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) to take relief materials to other flood displaced persons who were not in the camps.
Inyom told our correspondent in Makurdi that most of the displaced persons were not in camps but were staying with relatives who were not affected by the flood.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Mr Adikpo Akpatse, had in an earlier interview with newsmen, confirmed that more than 80 per cent of the flood victims were staying outside the camps.
The bishop argued that “by tradition, our people do not like staying in camps, they prefer to stay with relatives, so, such people should be given the relief materials.”
He maintained that the materials were meant for all displaced persons and not restricted to those living in the camps.
Borno
The Borno State Government is to construct township roads in Maiduguri with interlocking blocks, Governor Kashim Shettima announced in Maiduguri.
Shettima who made the announcement while inspecting equipment acquired by the government for the project explained that the use of interlocking blocks was to save cost and provide employment for unemployed youths in the state.
He said that the state had already taken delivery of 12 heavy duty lorries, pay-loaders and rollers for the take-off of the project.
“We are trying to embark on mass construction of township roads, using interlocking blocks.
Ekiti
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State says that the Federal Government owed the state N6 billion over the construction of some federal road projects.
Fayemi made the statement while addressing the people in Ado-Ekiti as part of events to round off the second anniversary of his administration.
Fayemi said the state was now ranked the least in terms of material and child mortality owing to the good governance he had put in place, pointing out that the state had the highest life expectancy in Nigeria owing to his ability to provide quality leadership that was devoid of rancor and unnecessary political upheavals that dogged the state in the past.
The governor said that he had been able to give the people hope in spite of a N40 billion debt and uncompleted projects his administration inherited from the past administration.
FCT
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Abuja has expressed concern over the high cost of governance in the country and called for a review. .
ICAN President, Mr Adedoyin Owolabi expressed the view at the opening ceremony of the 42nd ICAN Annual Accountants Conference in Abuja.
Owolabi said government needed to “urgently” revisit the cost of governance which had continued to take its toll on public funds.
“Here lies the justification and urgent need for the merger of related public sector institutions, as recently recommended by the Steve Oronsaye committee so that they can deliver on their mandate,” he said.
He added: “We must take those painful but necessary decisions that will lead us to where we desire to be as a nation by the year 2020.”
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Police Command has denied involvement in the killing of 22 persons at Dogon-Dawa village in Birnin Gwari Local Government on Sunday.
The denial followed media reports alleging that some senior police officers led the attack.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Adenaike told newsmen in Kaduna that no police officer was at the scene of the attack.
Kano
Warawa Local Government Council in Kano State, has donated food items worth millions of naira to victims of the recent flood disaster in the area.
Our correspondent reports that the items include 200 bags of rice, 200 bags of maize and 150 jerrycans of vegetable oil, among others.
The council’s Interim Management Officer, Mr Salisu Bebeji disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano.
Bebeji said that the items were distributed on October 12, to the affected persons in five villages of the area and noted that the state government had donated some relief materials to the victims to alleviate their sufferings.
The officer urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the commodities to cushion the effect of the disaster.
Katsina
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate has dropped from over three per cent to two per cent in Katsina State, the Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA), Dr Muntari Hassan, has revealed.
Hassan made the revelation in Katsina when members of the state’s Youth Coalition Against AIDS, Drugs and Violence called on him.
He said that the reduction of the infection was achieved through continuous public enlightenment and sensitisation by the agency and some non-governmental bodies.
Hassan noted that the assistance being provided by various counseling and testing centres had also facilitated the reduction of the infection in the state.
“In 2008, there were only nine counseling and testing centres in the state but now the number of such centres had increased to 52”.
Kebbi
The House of Representatives’ Committee on Works and Housing has given a three-month ultimatum to the contractor rehabilitating the Jega- Koko/Besse road in Kebbi State to either complete it or have the contract revoked.
The committee’s Deputy Chairman, Rep. Ali Wudil issued the ultimatum when he led other members on an inspection visit to the project site.
Contract for the 60 km-road rehabilitation project was awarded by the Federal Government at N966.8 million.
Wudil bemoaned the slow pace of work at the site and complained about the contractor’s attitude to work.
Kwara
The Kwara State Police Command in Ilorin paraded three suspects for alleged illegal possession of firearms.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Fabode, told newsmen that the accused were arrested by intelligence operatives of the ‘B’ Division in Ilorin on suspicion of belonging to a gang of thieves.
Fabode said that when the accused persons were searched, one locally made pistol, two live cartridges, two motorcycle receipt booklets and two stamps were recovered from them.
Lagos
The Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS), Onne, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, withdrew the admission of 55 trainees, including four women, for alleged certificate forgery.
The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Naval Training Command, Apapa, Rear Admiral Azubuike Ajuonu, made the fact known to newsmen in Lagos.
Azubuike said that the suspects had been handed over to the police in Port Harcourt for further investigation, adding that if found guilty, the trainees, who spent three months in the school, risked seven years imprisonment.
The FOC said that the command had a process of weeding candidates with fake school certificates through verification from various examination bodies.
“The verification is a continuous process, nobody will come to navy with false certificate and nobody will come to navy with a brother’s certificate.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Bala Wada-Adamu, has told civil servants in the country to always update their knowledge through research and training.
Wada-Adamu told our correspondent in Lafia that the advice became necessary to make the workers to meet global demands of actualising an effective civil service.
He spoke shortly after a reception in honour of Mr Mohammed Ramalan, the retiring director of building in the ministry.
The commissioner, who elaborated on the benefits of being a dedicated staff, advised civil servants to put in their best while in service.
He explained that “good work never goes in vain,” noting “there is reward for every hard work we do.”
Niger
The Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) says it has introduced a buy-back programme towards evacuating empty sachet water packs off the streets.
The General Manager of the agency, Dr Yakubu Yandai told our correspondent in Minna that the programme was aimed at preventing environmental hazards.
“We have commenced a programme known as ‘Buy-back empty sachet water packs and used plastics from consumers.
“The programme will start with three environmental clubs in public secondary schools in Minna, which will buy-back the wastes and bring them to us for recycling.
Ogun
The Ogun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has promised to make this year’s edition of the Ojude-Oba festival, scheduled for October 28, a memorable one.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Culture and Tourism, Miss Busola Ogundele made the pledge at a media briefing on the event in Ijebu-Ode.
Ogundele said the festival had placed the Ijebus and the state as a whole on the international map, pointing out that the annual event had also attracted tourists and investors to the state.
The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr Chioma Ejikeme, has reiterated the commitment to service delivery for pensioners.
Ejikeme said this during the Customer Service Week in Abuja, yesterday.
He said that commission had a mandate to deliver good service delivery to the pensioners.
Ejikeme, who was represented by the Director Civil Service Pension Department, Mr Kabir Yusuf, said that the customer service week was important to operations of PTAD.
“Customer service is the support that you give to a customer, whether it is an existing customer or potential customer in the process of delivering or making enquires about a service.
“To be a good customer service representative you need to be knowledgeable, have good attitude and attribute especially to the senior citizens and have empathy,” he said.
Ejikeme said that all PTAD staff had most of the attributes of a good customer representative.
“We provide excellent customer service by going to verify our aged pensioners who cannot do it by themselves anywhere across the country.
“There is a dedicated team that was mandated to go round to confirm the aliveness of those who can not confirm their aliveness either because the are too old or have health issues,” the executive secretary said.
The National Coordinator, SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, said that the official theme of the 2024 customer service week was “ We Go Above and Beyond For Our Customers.”
She commended PTAD and the SERVICOM team for organising the 2024 customer service week.
“This is in line with the best practice of celebrating frontline workers and service takers.
“Customer service week is celebrated annually during the first full week in October.
It calls attention to the importance of people to boost morale team work and departmental collaboration in supporting pensioners.
“ It is a platform to reward employees for the significant work they do,” Akajemeli said.
She said that the objective of the customer service week was to celebrate the hard work and dedication of employee who strived to create positive customer experiences.
She said that it was time to show customers that the organisation valued their experience and feedback, through comment cards, dedicated hotline, among others.
Akajemeli said that it raised awareness internally and externally about the importance of good customer service in building customer loyalty and satisfaction.
She said that the benefit was to increase motivation, show appreciation, encourage friendly competition, boost employee retention, create a positive workplace and increase productivity.
The Head, Surveillance Department at the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mr Abdulrahman Saleem, said that good service delivery was the key success of every establishment.
Salem said that PTAD operated with standard, considering the success it had achieved so far.
Saleem said that pensioners required the best service attitude and behavior.
“ I give kudos to PTAD for its efforts and encourage it to do more.
“Therefore I urge PTAD staff to keep up the standard and continue to give good service to the pensioners,” he said.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has honoured Flying Officer David Sangokoya for winning the 2023/2024 Royal Air Force College Cranwell International Cadet Sword of Honour.
Abubakar honoured the officer during the presentation of cheques to 13 beneficiaries of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Group Personal Accident Insurance Policy (GPAIP) in Abuja, yesterday.
He described the achievement as ground-breaking as it was the first time an African cadet had won the prestigious award since the Academy’s creation over 100 years ago.
According to him, the feat underscores the excellence that exists within NAF, and proof that NAF officers and cadets can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.
“To our awardee, you have set a new standard, not just for your peers, but for every cadet and officer that will come after you.
“This accomplishment is a powerful reminder that no goal is out of reach when one is armed with dedication, discipline and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
“Your journey as an officer has begun with this prestigious accolade, but the true measure of your success will be seen in how you serve, lead and contribute to the mission of NAF and the defence of our great nation.
“As we celebrate this historic occasion, we extend our deepest gratitude to the United Kingdom Government for its unwavering support in providing world-class training opportunities to our personnel.
“This has enabled our officers and men to gain invaluable skills and knowledge, strengthening not only our bilateral ties but also our collective ability to address global security challenges,” he said.
The CAS said that the NAF looked forward to continuing the fruitful partnership for the mutual benefit of Nigeria and UK countries.
He expressed gratitude and unflinching loyalty to President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to the welfare and training of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and NAF in particular.
“I must also take a moment to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the leadership of the Nigerian Defence Academy and the instructors who helped to mould and prepare this cadet for the global stage.
“Their dedication and commitment to developing top-notch officers is evident in this ground-breaking achievement.
“You have not only trained a leader but have given the Nigerian Air Force a legacy we will all cherish,” he said.
National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has advocated private sector involvement to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Director-General of the authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, made the call at a high-level policy dialogue on sustainable health system reforms in Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that the dialogue was organised by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), a coalition of private sector stakeholders, to address the multifaceted challenges plaguing the country’s healthcare system.
The dialogue has “Private Sector Support for SWAP (Sector Wide Approach) in Healthcare” as its theme.
Represented by Dr Yakubu Agada-Amade, the NHIA Director of Standards and Quality Assurance, Ohiri explained the crucial role of private sector collaboration in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system
He highlighted the “One Plan” under the SWAp framework, which seeks to unify health sector efforts, ensuring efficient resource use, effective governance and expanded healthcare access.
He also stressed the importance of overcoming barriers that historically hindered the implementation of healthcare interventions in Nigeria, such as inadequate financing, weak governance systems, and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He added that “the dialogue explored innovative approaches, including digital health innovations and financing mechanisms to accelerate the implementation of the National Health Act and mandatory health insurance coverage.
“With enrollment in health insurance growing by 14 per cent over the past year, NHIA can push for greater inclusivity, particularly targeting the informal sector through flexible payment systems and partnerships with telecommunications companies.”
He called for stronger synergy between public and private health actors to ensure universal access to quality healthcare and sustainable reforms in line with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Panelists from the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) and Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) echoed the sentiments, underscoring the private sector’s role in expanding insurance coverage and improving healthcare delivery.
They commended NHIA’s efforts toward driving reforms to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).