Nation
ACON Wants Specialised Agency For Drug Addicts
The African Council on Narcotics (ACON) has for the umpteenth time called for the establishment of a specialized agency that can cater for the growing number of drug addicts in the country.
The group has also commended Nigeria’s apex illicit drug interdiction body, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its tireless efforts in the war against narcotics and psychotropic substances.
ACON President, Rekpene Bassey, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, expressed delight over the recent operation by the agency in what appeared to be the biggest single cocaine seizure in the history of the NDLEA on Sunday, September 18, 2022.
Recall that the NDLEA, after cordoning off, successfully raided a major warehouse in a secluded estate in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State where 1.8 tons, or about 1855 kilograms, of the drug were impounded, whose street value is estimated at $278,250,000, or the equivalent of N149.7 billion.
Expressing delight in the successes of the General Buba Marwa-led agency, Bassey said, “The only other time that the agency made such a huge seizure was on December 23, 1993, when one Joe Brown Akubueze was arrested for importing 258 kilograms of heroin in 649 packs from Bangkok, neatly wrapped in transparent polythene and embossed with the figure 666, whose street value was estimated at N44 billion through the Apapa Wharf in Lagos.
“Needless to say, last Sunday’s operation was well coordinated following a string of undercover investigations and actionable intelligence. Consequently, several drug barons have been apprehended in the operation.
“Some of those apprehended included Kevin Smith, a Jamaican citizen, along with his Nigerian collaborators.
“However, while the agency is being commended, several questions come to the fore. For instance, how, when, and from where did such large quantities of narcotics get into the country?
“Another question is related to these two. Could these drugs have been produced in Nigeria? The answer is obviously no, because coca plants, from which cocaine is produced, are not cultivated and processed in Nigeria.
“Assuming, therefore, that the drug was smuggled into the country, why was it that the various security operatives representing official security agencies at our air, land, and marine borders were not able to prevent it from being smuggled into the country?
“Another question is, could there be other secret drug depots in other locations within the country? And it could also be asked further why it took so long to uncover and execute the Ikorodu raid.
“All that said, we seize the opportunity to request that thorough investigations be conducted to unearth all relevant facts and possibly obtain other leads on the subject.”
The ACON boss advised the federal government to re-double its determination backed by political will in the fight against illicit drugs given the high rate of prevalence of substance abuse and the debilitating damage it is causing among our youth, many of whom have taken to the drug culture.
“This is besides other damaging sociological consequences of the drug scourge on the nation,” he said.
He further said, “we urge institutions such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, and other government agencies to strengthen control and preventive measures to reduce the availability of dangerous drugs derived from pharmaceutical products.
“Moreover, we would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our call for the establishment of a specialized agency that can cater to the growing number of drug addicts in our society.”
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).