Nation
Group Tackles Rep On Moves To Amend NDDC Act
Following his statement on why the National Assembly (NASS), is repealing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act, a group known as Transparency and Accountability Advancement group, yesterday, disagreed with the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on NDDC, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, insisting that the commission has no problem that would warrant amendment of its Act.
Yesterday, Tunji-Ojo said that the need to amend the commission’s Act was to make it more development orientated in the service of the region.
He equally stated that many deficiencies inherent in the extant laws regulating the affairs of the commission were stifling efficiency and transparency in the commission.
But reacting in a statement signed by the group’s National Chairman, Comrade Ebi Arogbofa, Transparency and Accountability Advancement opined, “Our attention has been drawn to comments credited to Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta, Mr Olubunmni Tunji-Ojo, which oversights the Niger Delta Development Commission, that he is proposing a bill for the NDDC Act to be repealed and replaced with a new law.
“As reported by a national newspaper of March 3, 2021, Tunji-Ojo said the bill he is proposing will stipulate minimum qualifications for the offices of the MD and the EDs.
“Tunji-Ojo’s new proposal to repeal the NDDC Act won’t be welcomed, especially given that the current legislation is very clear on the qualifications for the executive positions.
“Under Part V, Section 12(1) and (1a), the NDDC Act provides that: ‘There shall be for the Commission, a Managing Director, and two Executive Directors who shall be indigenes of oil producing areas starting with the member states of the commission with the highest production quantum of oil and shall rotate amongst member states in the order of production; (a) have such qualification and experience as are appropriate for a person required to perform the functions of those offices under this Act’.
According to the newspaper, Tunji-Ojo said, it was an “irony that the law establishing the commission does not provide any punishment for any infraction committed within the commission.
“This is not true as there are more than enough provisions in the EFCC Act, the ICPC Act and the criminal code to punish those who commit infractions in any public institution, the NDDC inclusive. There is no need for this Tunji-Ojo merry go round proposal to replace the NDDC Act, except it is clearly what it is, an agenda to prolong the Interim arrangement.
“Tunji-Ojo and his colleagues should first answer for their failure to defend the NDDC Act as it is now when the minister allegedly ignored the law, disregarded the Governing Board appointed by the president and cleared by the National Assembly in line with the NDDC Act, and, instead, appointed interim managements since October 2019. The NDDC has been operating outside the ambit of the NDDC Act since October 2019, yet Tunji-Ojo and his colleagues did nothing to ensure that the provisions of the NDDC Act are followed.
“We recall that Tunji-Ojo presided over the House of Representatives Committee that probed the last NDDC Interim Management Committee but failed to present the report of the committee to the House of Representatives for adoption.
“How can a committee chairman who compromises an oversight investigation talk now of amending the NDDC Act as if that was what made him inert in presenting the report of his committee’s investigation? It is clear that Tunji-Ojo is compromised in this whole matter of the NDDC. Our people in the Niger Delta reject this. We will not accept Tunji Ojo’s position.
“We had stated previously that the appointment of Mr Effiong Okon Akwa, a member of the previous Interim Management Committee, as Interim Sole Administrator of the Commission with a mandate to head the agency is illegal as it contravenes the NDDC Act. We are bothered at the continuation of this brazen behaviour of the Niger Delta Minister in making appointments of heads of the NDDC, despite sound legal counsel that it is not only unlawful but disenfranchises the nine constituent states of the NDDC to fair representation in the development agency.
“It is sad that the desecration and disregard for the NDDC Act is taking place under the nose of the National Assembly, which must sit up and insist that the proper thing be done. The peace in the Niger Delta region should not be taken for granted as many nationalities, groups and stakeholders have continued to question the propriety of appointing illegal interim administrators for the NDDC.
“The concern of every Niger Deltan and indigenes of the NDDC states at the moment is to put in place the Governing Board in line with the NDDC Act without any further delay. The forensic audit has been used as an excuse to put the Governing Board on hold. After undertaking that audit for over 15 months now, there can be no further excuse for not concluding the audit and putting the Board in place.
“We want to remind the Presidency that in response to the condemnation of Akwa’s appointment last December, Akpabio had pleaded that the Governing Board of the NDDC will be put in place in April this year. We cannot have another delay. The Interim Sole Administrator arrangement will not be tolerated any further. We won’t allow any politician or group to ride roughshod with the resources of the Niger Delta people and mess with the NDDC Act for their selfish political and corrupt interests forthwith. The current illegality in the NDDC should be ended now. The NDDC Governing Board should be put in place without any delay.”
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).
-
Business2 days agoFree Meter Distribution: FG Deducts N700bn From Federation Account
-
Rivers2 days agoRSG Gives Illegal Dump Site Operators Quit Notice
-
News2 days agoFG Partners Pakistan To Boost Food Security
-
News2 days agoOne Killed, Suspects Arrested As Gombe Youths, Herdsmen Clash
-
News2 days agoRSG Set To Demolish Shanties, Gives Seven-Day Ultimatum
-
Business2 days agoFGC, Warri Wins NCDMB, ICPC Maiden Anti-Corruption Schools Debate
-
Niger Delta2 days agoOborevwori Signs Delta’s N979.2bn Appropriation Bill Into Law
-
News2 days agoNCDC Allays Fears Over COVID-19 XEC Variant