Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Victims Support Fund (VSF) recently commenced the reconstruction and rehabilitation of public structures damaged by insurgents in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Speaking during a ceremony to mark the commencement of the exercise, Executive Director of the fund, Prof. Sunday Ochoche said the sum of N390 million would be expended on 13 structures in the area.
Ochoche said that the fund would work closely with the state government technical team to ensure quality job.
Speaking at the occasion, Governor Muhammadu Bindow of Adamawa State lauded the Federal Government for its intervention through VSF and other agencies in bringing succour to the people of areas affected by the insurgency.
Benue
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom said last Monday that the state was committed to building a strong and indivisible Nigerian nation and would never support any secessionist agitation.
Ortom, who spoke at a meeting with Benue State Council of Chiefs, also restated government’s readiness to protect the rights of Nigerians resident in the state, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds.
The meeting, held in Makurdi and attended by various stakeholders and the leadership of tribal and religious groups resident in Benue, was a proactive measure against reprisal violence over skirmishes in some parts of the country.
“Benue is not in support of any secessionist agitation and will not want mischief makers to cause violence in the state. People with such plans are advised to leave in their own interest,” he said.
Borno
The Theatre Commander of “Operation Lafiya Dole’’, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru has admonished troops to show discipline and professionalism in the counter-insurgency operations of the armed forces.
Attahiru made the call during a visit to 8 Task Force Division at Mongonu, near Maiduguri in Borno State.
His call was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu in Maiduguri last Wednesday.
Attahiru told the troops to shun vices and to stay away from nefarious activities that would go against the mandate and goals of the operation.
“Discipline is the bedrock of every army and therefore, essential to fast-track total and outright defeat of Boko Haram insurgents.
Kaduna
Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State has reiterated his government’s commitment to reforming the civil service to enable it attain global standards.
El-Rufai expressed the commitment at the opening ceremony of Stream 2 of the National Capacity Building Conference on mainstreaming best practices in public service examinations held in Kaduna.
Reports said that the conference was organised by the Kaduna State Civil Service Commission in collaboration with the Examinations Ethics Marshals International.
The conference had the theme: Towards High Performance Workforce in MDAs, LGAs, Parastatals, and Institutions in a Season of Resource Scarcity.
Kogi
Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, has appealed to residents of the state whose houses were located in flood plains to vacate those areas.
Osikoya told newsmen that in spite of warning on the dangers of living in such areas, some of the inhabitants had refused to relocate
According to her, those who refused to heed to the advice are arguing that “flood is seasonal” and that it will “come and go”.
“We want to plead with everybody in flood prone areas, including businessmen and women, to move out of the area to uplands; this is the time for proactive action,” she said.
Kwara
An Ilorin-based legal practitioner, Mr Abdullahi Suleman has warned parents against denying their children food as form of punishment.
He gave the warning in Ilorin in an interview with newsmen, describing it as “wicked and inhuman.”
He said some parents were fond of starving their wards as punishment for doing wrong, stressing that “such an act is against humanity and dangerous to health.
“Children should never be denied food for whatever reason. It can drive them to stealing as alternative to solve their hunger.
“That is why some children can easily be lured into bad acts, as they will be enticed with things as little as sweets as food, to do what they are not supposed to do.
Lagos
The National Conscience Party (NCP) says it will not participate in the bye-election, slated for September 30 in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
According to reports, indicate the election is to fill the vacant seat, arising from the death of the lawmaker representing the area, Mr Kazeem Alimi who died on July 18.
The Lagos State Chairman of the NCP, Mr Fatai Ibu-Owo, told newsmen that the NCP was not interested in the election and therefore, had no candidate.
He explained the party was currently pre-occupied with strategising for the 2019 elections and so had no time for the bye-election.
Nasarawa
An Islamic cleric in Nasarawa State, Malam Ishaq Adudu has sued for peace and tolerance in the country, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations, despite agitation by Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Adudu who is the Chief Imam of Gidi Magoro, Lafia Mosque made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lafia.
He said peace was a necessary requirement for the development of any nation, hence the need for agitators and other Nigerians to embrace peace and be law abiding at all times in the interest of development.
The cleric urged youths not to take the law into their hands but to report unlawful activities to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.
Niger
A cross section of Minna residents have commended Governor Abubakar Bello for prompt deployment of armed security personnel in and outside the metropolis.
A resident of Saukahuta Mr Innocent James, told newsmen in Minna that the quick intervention of the governor has prevented unnecessary tension.
“Miscreants have started looting shops and threatening residents at Chanchaga, Saukahuta, Bosso and city gates.
He said that the deployment of security personnel in strategic locations in the metropolis had calmed nerves.
Ogun
An Idi-Ogungun Customary Court at Agodi in Ibadan last Tuesday dissolved a seven-year-old marriage between Samuel Adeboye and his wife,Temitope over the woman’s battering by the second wife.
The President of the court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, leading other assessors — Aare Samotu and Ganiyu Alao — gave the verdict, saying both parties can no longer live together peacefully as husband and wife.
“Evidence of parties have proved that love does not exist between them; moreover, the respondent has agreed to the dissolution of the union as requested by his estranged wife.
“Based on this evidence, the marriage is thereby dissolved and the custody of the two children of the union is to remain with the plaintiff (Temitope).
Ondo
A socio-political group, Ondo State Peoples’ Assembly (OSPA), has lauded the Minister of State for Niger Delta, Prof. Claudius Daramola, for facilitating the first Niger-Delta Summit in the state.
The group in a communiqué in Lagos recently commended Daramola who hails from Ode-Aye in Okitipupa Local Government of the state for his unsung achievements, especially in Ilaje/EseOdo oil producing communities, for enabling peace.
The communiqué was jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Chief Niyi Netufo and Pastor Ishola Omoyele, respectively.
The second National Council on Niger Delta (NCND) summit and first in Ondo State in collaboration with the state government was held in Akure between September 7 and September 14.
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on September 12, addressed the meeting with the theme “Fast-tracking the Development and Peace of the Niger-Delta Region: Options and Prospects.”
Plateau
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has approved the relaxation of dusk to dawn curfew imposed in the state following violent clashes.
The governor relaxed the curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to 6 am.
It would be recalled that following last Thursday’s clashes that resulted in the death of two persons, the state government imposed the curfew in Jos-Bukuru metropolis.
A statement last Sunday by Lalong’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Nanle, said that the decision to relax the curfew was due to improved security.
“The governor of Plateau, having considered the improvement in security, has approved the relaxation of the curfew to now start 10p.m. to 6a.m. with effect from Sunday, September 17 till further notice.”
The governor in the statement appreciated the swift response of security personnel to contain the situation.
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).
