Nation
Enugu Budgets N169bn For 2021
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Wednesday, presented to the State House of Assembly, the 2021 Budget of N169. 85 billion for consideration and passage.
Presenting the budget proposal tagged: “Budget of Recovery and Continued Growth”, Ugwuanyi disclosed that it “is 13.8 percent higher than our revised 2020 budget”.
The governor explained that the budget proposal was carefully designed to strategically enhance the recovery of the state from the drawbacks of 2020, occasioned by the unexpected and unpleasant outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and the negative effects of the #EndSARS protests, which were hijacked by miscreants and hoodlums to unleash mayhem on the country, “pushing back all the efforts at economic recovery from COVID-19 challenge”.
Ugwuanyi added that these setbacks to the full implementation of the 2020 budget ensued shortly after his administration commenced payment of the new Minimum Wage of N30,000 in February this year with its consequential adjustment.
“We had adjusted to this new cost centre and set in motion procurement processes for the delivery of services to Ndi Enugu as appropriated by this Honourable House. Suddenly, we slept in one world and woke up in another, confronted with the unpleasant news of a strange illness – Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19)”, he said.
Ugwuanyi pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and pertinent restriction of economic activities across the country caused a significant drop in the global energy demand that led to oil prices crash with huge drop in Statutory Allocation accruing to states in Nigeria, as well as the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which compelled state governments to revise their 2020 approved budgets as directed by the National Economic Council and inspired by World Bank.
On the 2020 budget performance, the governor said that apart from the payment of the N30,000 Minimum Wage to workers, provision of critical road infrastructure in urban and rural areas, interventions in security, judiciary, education, tourism, legislature, religious, agriculture, redevelopment of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Urban water supply, among others, his administration has made huge investment in the health sector/COVID-19 related interventions.
On the 2021 budget estimates, Ugwuanyi revealed that the projections were predicated on the macro and micro-economic indicators of national inflation rate of 11.95%, national real GDP growth of 3%, oil production benchmark of 1.86 million barrels per day, oil price benchmark of $40 per barrel, and exchange rate of N380 per US dollar.
He further stated that the “Enugu State Medium Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 2021-2023 and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) are aimed at prudent fiscal management coupled with prioritisation of public expenditure”, stressing that “this is focused on achieving a better balance between capital and recurrent expenditures”.
The governor noted that out of the total budget size of N169.85 billion, the sum of N68.711billion, representing 40% of the total budget is for Recurrent Expenditure while the sum of N101.1billion is for Capital Expenditure, representing 60% of the budget size.
Consequently, Ugwuanyi highlighted that the key deliverables of the 2021 capital budget include rehabilitation of the 9th Mile crash water borehole programme; commencement of AFD-funded 3rd National Urban Water Sector Reform Project; completion and landscaping of International Conference Centre and construction of a flyover Bridge at T-Junction of Nike Lake Resort Road/Nike Road, Enugu.
While expressing profound appreciation to members of the State House of Assembly for their diligence and commitment to the task of taking Enugu State to an enviable height, “consistent with our founding fathers’ dream of a peaceful, united, secure and prosperous Enugu State”, Gov. Ugwuanyi also appreciated deeply the people of the state “for their unflinching support, cooperation and resilience especially in the face of all the storms of year 2020”.
Responding, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi for weathering the storms during the year to ensure that his administration provided the dividends of democracy to the people of the state especially in the rural areas.
The Speaker therefore assured the governor that the House will pay diligent attention to the budget for residents of the state to continue to enjoy peace and good governance.
By: Canice Amadi, Enugu
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).