Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo last Saturday in Yola, reinstated the commitment of the Federation Government to keep one, indivisible Nigeria.
Osinbajo made the commitment while speaking at the reception in Yola in honour of the new President of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the Most Reverend Musa Filibus.
The vice-president, therefore, urged Nigerians to sustain the unity which he said was the dream of the fore fathers of the country.
According to him, Christians are encouraged to pursue justice and reconciliation with people of other faith.
While congratulating Filibus for being the first Nigerian and second African to emerge President of LWF, Osinbajo urged him to work toward uniting the church and promoting peace and love.
Benue
The Senate Committee on Works has asked the Federal Government to revoke the N3.2 billion contract for the reconstruction of Wannue-Yadev road in Benue, citing alleged incompetence by the handler.
Reports that the 19-kilometre road contract, awarded in 2013, had a completion period of 24 months.
Its chairman, Sen. Kabiru Gaya, told newsmen in Gboko that his committee was “greatly disappointed” that not much had been achieved in the execution of the project four years after it was awarded.
“We have gone round several portions of the road; we have asked questions and made observations. Our conclusion is that the contractor lacks the capacity to handle the job.
Borno
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on Boko Haram sect to stop the recruitment and use of children as suicide bombers in the North-East.
UNICEF also called on all parties in the conflict to respect international child right laws.
The UNICEF’s Country Representative, Mr Mohamed Fall, made the call after the official signing of Action Plan Agreement against recruitment of children between the organisation and Borno State Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
Reports that the Action Plan Agreement was signed by the UNICEF, Borno State Government and CJTF, in Maiduguri.
Fall noted that the increase in the use of children in the conflict in the North-East was a source of concern to the UN and it must stop.
FCT
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said the Senate would meet with security chiefs to chart a path for resolution of contentious issues engendering tension in the South-East.
He said that the meeting, expected to hold shortly, would address the tension in the South-East and the skirmishes in Plateau State.
Saraki said in a statement last Sunday in Abuja that security agencies, political and religious leaders must work for the promotion of dialogue as means for tackling agitations, to ensure peace in the country.
In the statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, he urged all Nigerians to maintain peace and avoid statements or actions capable of aggravating the tension in parts of the country.
Kaduna
Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board last Saturday said a total of 2,842 pilgrims from Kaduna had returned home after performing 2017 hajj in Saudi Arabia.
The Board Public Relations Officer, Yunusa Abdullahi, made this known in a telephone interview with newsmen in Kaduna.
Abdullahi said that the pilgrims returned by Medview and Max Air in six flights.
He said Medview transported 1,786 pilgrims while Max Air transported 1,078 pilgrims.
“The 6th batch with 542 pilgrims will return on Saturday via Max Air airline.
Kogi
The World Bank-sponsored Kogi State Integrated Financial Management Information System (SIFMIS) is to commence operation in October.
Mr Aminu Ibrahim, the Manager of the project, disclosed this while speaking at a presentation of the integrated system during a seminar for journalists in Lokoja last Wednesday.
Ibrahim said that the system would ensure efficiency, effectiveness, accountability and transparency in public finance as part of the requirements for reform agenda of the Federal Government and the National Economic Council.
He said that project contract agreement was awarded in April and signed by the state Public Sector Governance Reform Development Project and the contractor, Messrs Counterhouse Consultants Ltd.
Lagos
The Consul-General of Germany in Lagos, Mr Ingo Herbert on Saturday enjoined more young Nigerians to begin to engage themselves in vocational programmes that would make them employable.
Herbert gave the advice in Lagos at the graduation ceremony of 19 young Nigerians that benefited from the German Dual Vocational Training (DVT) Partnership with Nigeria.
The Consul-General, who was represented by the Consulate’s Commercial, Political, Cultural and Press Attaché, Mr Sebastian Polzin said that Germany had always encouraged DVT for young men and women.
“We want to also see more young Nigerians engage themselves in vocational training; this way, unemployment would be reduced.
Nasarawa
Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has appealed to the Federal government to gazette the state-owned Lafia-Kwandere-Keffi road as a federal road.
He made the appeal in Lafia last Saturday when members of the Senate Committee on Works, led by its chairman, Sen.Kabiru Gaya paid him a courtesy visit.
The governor said the call became necessary to speed up the completion of the road for the benefit of travelers.
“Basic infrastructure starts and ends with roads, road being the most flexible infrastructure gives every citizen the opportunity to link up from one place to another.
Niger
A cross section of Minna residents last Saturday lauded Governor Abubakar Bello for prompt deployment of armed security personnel in and outside the metropolis.
Mr Innocent James, a resident of Saukahuta told newsmen in Minna that the quick intervention of the governor has avoided unnecessary tension.
“Miscreants have started looting shops and threatening residents at Chanchaga, Saukahuta, Bosso and city gates.
He said that the deployment of security personnel in strategic locations in the metropolis has calmed nerves.
Osun
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is to organise a workshop on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) for secondary school girls in Osun, Kano and Enugu to identify the challenges with the condition and ameliorative measures.
The UNICEF Coordinator of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Mr Femi Aluko, in Osun, told newsmen Sunday in Osogbo that stakeholders would gather to address the challenges facing MHM such as taboos and poor hygiene among female school girls.
NAN reports that menstruation is a normal biological process and a key sign of reproductive health, yet in many cultures it is treated as a negative, shameful or dirty condition.
A study from UNICEF revealed that one out of three girls in South Asia knew nothing about menstruation prior to getting it while 48 per cent of girls in Iran and 10 per cent of girls in India believe that menstruation is a disease.
Plateau
Rev. Fr Philip Jamang of Church of Assumption, Chongo-Pyel in Jos, has charged Nigerians, especially Christians, to eschew violence and imbibe the virtues of love and forgiveness.
Jamang, in his sermon in Jos last Sunday, said that the two virtues were key to the harmony and stability craved by all Nigerians.
He said that unity would be enhanced if Nigerians were quick to love and forgive each other as one people bound by the same destiny.
The cleric attributed most of the challenges threatening the country to bitterness bottled up in the minds of Nigerians, saying that growth and prosperity would continue to elude the nation if that continued.
Zamfara
The Eze Igbo in Zamfara state, Igwe Egbuna Obijiaku has commended the South East Governor’s Forum for banning the activities of the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
Obijiaku, who gave the commendation last Saturday while speaking to newsmen in Gusau , said that Igbos in Zamfara were not in support of the activities of IPOB.
He urged the Igbo community in the state to disregard the Biafra agitation by members of the IPOB.
According to him, the IPOB agitations for Biafra nation apart from its threat to national unity, peace and stability is also a big threat to Igbo economic stability.
“We are solidly behind our leaders and governors in this regard, we are also in support of the decision of the Forum of Igbo traditional leaders of all the 19 Northern state,” he said.
“If we look at the entire population of Igbo community, only 40 per cent are living on Igbo land, about 40 per cent are living in the Northern parts of Nigeria, almost 15 percent are living in South Western parts of the country and the remaining five per cent are living abroad.
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).
