Nation
Buratai, Oyeyemi, Arewa, Others Mourn Attahiru
Immediate past Chief of Army Staff and Ambassador Designate, retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, says the late Chief of Army Staff was at the verge of making the nation proud before his tragic end.
Buratai in his tribute to late Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, said he was making tremendous progress in the counterinsurgency and counterterrorism efforts when the tragedy occurred.
He described the incident as tragic to all Nigerians and peace-loving people, adding that Attahiru and the officers that died with him were top-level officers whose records of service were meritorious.
According to him, this unfortunate incident deeply saddens me as it robbed us of the services of the Chief of Army Staff who had left no one in doubt as regards his determination to succeed in the various military operations across the country.
Buratai however, urged the armed forces to close ranks and make sure that the legacy of the officers lives on by consolidating on the gains made in the various operations.
According to him, they gave their lives in the line of duty and patriotic service to the nation.
Similarly, The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has expressed shock over the death of late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and other military personnel.
Oyeyemi disclosed this in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) Bisi Kazeem, yesterday in Abuja.
He described the unfortunate incident as saddened and a great loss to the nation at this critical period when the Armed Forces was committed to winning the war against insurgency in Nigeria.
He prayed for the reposed of the souls of the gallant officer, COAS and other officers as well as cre, who died in the ll-fated crashed NAF aircraft
He described Attahiru as a disciplined, forthright, committed and professional military officer, who was unwavering in fighting and winning the war not only against insurgency but returning peace to the nation.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has prayed for wisdom as President Muhammadu Buhari selects a new Chief of Army Staff to replace General Ibrahim Attahiru who died in a plane crash in Kaduna last Friday.
The northern Nigerian socio-political organisation stated this in a condolence message to the president over the death of General Attahiru and 10 other military officers who died in the accident.
The ACF, in a statement signed by its chairperson, Audu Ogbeh, said the security situation in Nigeria “calls for the best, nothing but the best.”
The ACF said the death of the gallant officers on active service came as tragic news to all members of the forum.
“We condole with members of their families in this their hour of distress and emotional trauma. Only God can alleviate the pains they are facing now.
“We similarly pray for the other gallant members of the armed forces who lost their lives,” the statement said.
On its part, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari over the death of Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt- Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other military personnel.
This is contained in a condolence letter signed by the NMA President, Prof. Innocent Ujah, and Secretary, Dr Philips Ekpe, made available to newsmen in Abuja.
NMA prayed for the peaceful repose of the victims and prayed God Almighty to grant their families the fortitude to bear the losses.
In similar vein, The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), a pressure group, has called for investigation into the circumstances surrounding last Friday’s plane crash involving the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and others.
The President of PSM, Mr Bestman Okereafor, said this in a statement in Enugu yesterday.
“We are imploring President Muhammadu Buhari to set up an independent body to investigate the circumstances surrounding the airplane crash involving the COAS and others,’’ Okereafor said.
He also condoled with the President and the Nigerian Army over the incident.
He also extended the group condolence to 10 other personnel of the military, made up of top senior officers of the army and rank-and-files within the army and Nigerian Air Force.
Okereafor said that PSM found it absolutely worrisome the rate of military jet/airplane crash in spite the huge amount been allocated to the military in recent time.
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).