City Crime
Senate Rejects Bill Establishing South-South Commission
Senators yesterday unanimously voted to reject a bill seeking to establish the South-South Development Commission.
The lawmakers, after an extensive deliberation on the bill, stood it down following stiff opposition from Northern Senators.
Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, stepped down the bill when he sensed that the mood in the Senate did not support it.
The bill which was sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River -South) titled, “A Bill for an Act to Establish the South-South Development Commission charged with the responsibility to receive and manage funds from the Federation Account Allocation and other sources, donations, grants, and for the integration, development, resolution of infrastructural deficit, militancy, communal crises as well as tackle ecological, environmental problems; and for related matters.”
No sooner had the lead to the debate was read by the Senator representing Bayelsa East, Benson Agadaga on behalf of Ekpeyong, the bill was immediately opposed by two senators from the North who spoke after him.
The opposing senators are Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi-Central) and Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi-Central).
They said the proposed commission was a duplication of the existing Niger Delta Development Commission, advising the Senate to drop it.
Aliero, who was a former governor of Kebbi State, said the sponsor appeared to want to play on the intelligence of senators by bringing such a bill to the floor.
Aliero argued that the South-South and the Niger Delta areas already had a fully-funded government agency and a ministry to oversee development in the zone, adding that the proposed SSDC really duplicate their functions.
He recalled how the administration of the late President Umar Yar’Adua in 2007 created the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in addition to the already existing NDDC.
“I feel no need to support the second reading of this bill, which will make the Senate a laughing stock. It will amount to duplication,” he added.
Senator Abdul Ningi, who also opposed the bill, expressed his love for the people of the South-South.
Ningi told the session how he frequently visited the region and had always supported any initiative to uplift the zone.
He, however, said he opposed the SSDC bill because the functions spelt out for it were the same as those being handled by the NDDC.
“When you take the NDDC law and this bill and compare them, they are the same. It is important that this bill is stood down for further consultation,” he stated.
Akpabio quickly called for the votes to step down the bill, which was unanimously endorsed by senators.
Recall that the Senate on April 4, passed the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) Bill, while on April 16, it also passed the North-West Development Commission (NWDC) Bill.
While the NCDC Bill, which began its journey in the 9th Senate, was sponsored by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue -South), the NWDC Bill was sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano-North) and a host of other colleagues.
The Red Chamber had earlier in February passed the South East Development Commission Bill.
City Crime
2024? ?? ??? ??? – ??? ????? ??? ??
City Crime
RESIDENCY TRAINING: FUBARA PAYS OVER N300M GRANT IN TWO YEARS FOR 389 DOCTORS
![](https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1722960986979blob.jpg)
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the release of over N300million as grant to 389 medical doctors in the State Civil Service who are on residency training.
The released fund will cover two consecutive years – 2023-2024 – Residency Training Grant requirements with payments ranging from N800,000 to N900,000 per resident doctor for each year.
A total of 215 resident doctors received the funding for the year 2023, while 174 resident doctors have so far received the training grant in 2024 in the State.
With this milestone, the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara has set a new record in the healthcare funding as residency training grant has only been paid twice in the past 16 years, with the last paid in 2018.
By this strategic action, Governor Fubara, has recommitted the resolve of his administration towards ensuring that the training initiative aimed at supporting the professional development of doctors, at both the Junior and Senior residency cadres, is not frustrated due to absence of the requisite grants that serve as enduring incentives to the health personnel.
It also shows that Governor Fubara considers such comprehensive support for residency training as strategic investment in improving the capacity of healthcare personnel which will eventually enhance the quality of healthcare services available to Rivers people in the health sector.
Governor Fubara particularly expressed the belief that with such support from his administration, the benefitting medical doctors will be dutiful with the residency training, which is an essential stage of graduate medical education, to acquire the competence needed to enable them offer the best service while working in the employ of the state government.
Reacting to the groundbreaking achievement, Hon Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, acknowledged the importance of the course updates and components to the capacity of the personnel to address the challenges in quality healthcare delivery in the State.
Dr Oreh said: “These are essential for doctors to stay current with the latest medical knowledge and practices, ensuring they can provide the best possible care to patients.
“Research is a critical component of medical training, and these funds help cover the costs associated with developing and presenting research proposals and dissertations.
“Also, travelling to examination centres can be costly, especially for doctors stationed in various parts of the State. For these examinations which are usually held outside the State, and in some cases, outside the country, this funding ensures that transportation costs do not hinder their ability to attend necessary examinations,” she added.
Dr Oreh further spoke on the burden examination fees pose on medical personnel, saying: “The examination fees for the Parts I and II residency exams are very expensive, and by covering these fees, the government ensures that financial constraints do not prevent doctors from advancing in their careers.”
She thanked the Governor for paying priority attention to the welfare needs of personnel in the health sector, explaining that the Governor’s proactive action and political will to address critical issues that impede human capacity development was worthy of emulation.
The commissioner emphasised that the gesture of Governor Fubara, barely one year in office, will ultimately yield better health outcomes for Rivers people in particular and Nigerians at large.
Business
Proposed Nationwide Protest To Gulp N400bn Daily – CPPE
-
News4 days ago
RSG Drills CTC Chairmen, Members, Others On LG Administration
-
Politics4 days ago
Monarch Insists On Rivers South-East Support For Fubara
-
Rivers4 days ago
Our Products Are Making Nigeria Proud – Group
-
News4 days ago
Fubara Lauds Dame Toby’s Contributions To Educational Dev …As Mary Odili Bemoans Scrapping Of Teachers Training Colleges
-
News4 days ago
Police Name David Hundeyin, One Other As PIDOM’s Accomplices
-
Politics4 days ago
SERAP Sues Akpabio, Abbas Over NASS Running Costs
-
Rivers4 days ago
Asarama Community Inaugurates Executive Council
-
News4 days ago
Rivers Assembly Screens, Confirms Oko-Jaja, Seven Others For Bopp Board …Urges Members To Put State’s Interest First