Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Governor Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa State last Wednesday said his administration would inject more resources into the state civil service for efficient service delivery.
Bindow made this known at the swearing-in of two Permanent Secretaries in Yola, describing civil service as a veritable instrument for positive change.
He said that improving its standard would engender better service delivery in the state.
Bindow assured civil servants in the state of his commitment to improving their welfare in order to get the best from them.
While urging the newly sworn-in permanent secretaries to uphold their oath of office by being fair and just in the conduct of their duties, he said that their choice was based on merit.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA) has distributed 13 ultra modern Tuberculosis diagnostic machines to 13 local governments, its Executive Secretary, Mansur Dada, said last Thursday.
Dada told newsmen in Bauchi that each of the 13 local governments got one Gene-Xpert machine.
He said the machine was for quick diagnosis of tuberculosis samples within three hours, thereby reducing the burden of manual laboratory tests.
He added that the agency procured the machine to ensure fast and easy diagnosis and release of results so that patients could start treatment without delay.
Borno
The Police in Borno State last Wednesday said a top Boko Haram commander together with other members of the group had surrendered to the command in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Victor Isuku, said in a statement issued in Maiduguri that the insurgents unconditionally surrendered to men of the command.
“The counter terrorism effort of the Nigerian military, code named “Operation Safe Corridor” recorded another victory with the unconditional surrender to the police by high profile repentant Boko Haram terrorists.
“On September 10, at about 21: 00 hours, the intelligence arm of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the command, were able to negotiate a peaceful surrender of repentant Boko Haram terrorists with their families.
FCT
The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has signed a tripartite agreement of N120 billion with Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and Julius Berger Plc. for the construction of Bonny-Bodo road.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola at the tripartite agreement and contract signing last Wednesday in Abuja said the project would revive and strengthen the nation’s economy.
The 34 kilometres road when completed would boost socio-economic development in the country and improve the lives of Nigerians in the Niger Delta region living on Bonny Island, Ogoni, Okrika, Eleme and Andoni.
Fashola emphasised that the project was in compliance with the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which had infrastructural provision as one of its pillars.
Kaduna
The Northern States Governors and traditional rulers last Wednesday agreed to hold town hall meetings in all the 19 states in the region on restructuring of the country.
The decision followed a closed door meeting chaired by Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State in Kaduna.
He told newsmen after the meeting that the inputs collated from across the region would be used as a working document by the technical committee on restructuring set up by the two bodies.
“We will also extensively engage all shades of opinion leaders in the North on what should be an aggregate position of Northern region of Nigeria.”
He said that the technical committee was set up to come up with acceptable, and sustainable position of the Northern region in consonance with provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
Kano
The Kano State Government has awarded contract for the upgrading of Kano City ancient wall as part of plan to make the state capital a mega city.
The Permanent Secretary, Kano State Bureau for Land Management, Alhaji Muhammad Yusuf, said this while awarding the contract to Messrs Tamidan Nigeria Limited in Kano last Thursday.
Yusuf said the state government was determined to beautify and up-grade Kano to become a mega city.
He said the contract include grading and sand-filling of the space by the wall from Gadon-kaya gate to Kofar Na’isa gate.
The permanent secretary called on the residents of the state capital to cooperate with the contractor.
Kogi
Kogi State House of Assembly last Wednesday set up a seven-man committee to dialogue with the organised labour in the state in apparent bid to avert a looming industrial action.
The organised labour in Kogi State had earlier issued a one week ultimatum to the Kogi State Government to pay its workers their full salary or risk a strike.
Reports that the action followed the adoption of a motion of Urgent Public Importance moved by Haruna Idoko Musa (APC-Idah) at a plenary in Lokoja.
Musa had said that it would be disastrous for the workers go on strike “at this trying period” of the nation’s economy.
Kwara
The Kwara State Police Command says it has arrested the alleged abductor of a 17-month-old baby who snatched the Hyundai car from the mother of the baby.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Lawan Ado, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the police headquarters in Ilorin last Wednesday.
He gave the registration number of the car as Lagos EPE 168 CF, saying that it belonged to one Mrs Omotoyosi Adewoye of Gaa Akanbi Area in Ilorin.
Ado said the suspect who attended same church; Living Faith Church, Offa Garage, with the owner of the car, requested for a ride, pretending to be going to same direction with her.
Lagos
Stakeholders in the aviation sector last Wednesday expressed divergent views over plans by the Federal Government to concession Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reports say that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had last Monday announced that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the concession of both airports to improve their efficiency and service delivery.
The Chairman of Air Peace , Mr Allen Onyema told newsmen that the decision was a step in the right direction.
“Government has no business in doing business and that is the truth. If the Federal Government now decides to concession the airports, that is the right thing to do”.
Niger
The Niger State Government says it has released N13 million for the medical treatment of Mr Dauda Mohammed, a former President of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State Mr Jide Oritunsin disclosed this to newsmen last Thursday in Minna.
Mohammed, who was NANS’ President from 2011 to 2012 needs an urgent medical treatment for liver cirrhosis in a recommended Indian hospital.
Reports indicate that NANS’ President, Mr Chinonso Obasi last Wednesday led a peaceful protest to the Niger Government House to demand for the immediate release of funds for Mohammed’s treatment.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Education, Tijjani Ahmed, has urged proprietors of private schools to beef up security in their schools in order to protect their students and teachers.
The commissioner made this call last Thursday in a meeting with proprietors of private schools in Lafia.
According to him, the call became imperative, in view of the current kidnapping of students and teachers in other states of the federation.
He noted that the state government put in place the precautionary measures in order to safeguard the schools before any unpleasant thing could happen.
Ahmed explained that apart from the parameter fencing, the school management needed to beef up security and monitor human and vehicular movements in and out of the the schools.
“The management should put machinery in motion to ensure that anybody coming in or out of the school including the staff goes through a check.
Ogun
The German government says it has concluded plans to train 10,000 Nigerian youths in Ogun and Plateau States between September 2017 and June 2018 to enable them acquire vocational skills.
Mr Horst Bauemfeind, an official of GIZ, the German National Agency for International Cooperation, stated this in Abeokuta last Thursday at the inauguration of the committee for the monitoring of the initiative in Ogun.
Bauemfeind said that the project would provide demand-oriented vocational training for young persons in the agriculture and construction sectors considered to be two areas with high growth and employment potentials.
He further said that the gesture was part of an ongoing development cooperation between Nigeria and Germany based on bilateral agreement.
The German official, who said that 5,000 youths would be trained in Ogun, explained that his team had already embarked on an assessment tour of vocational centres and technical colleges in the state to identify possible gaps and areas of needs.
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).
