Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) in Bauchi
State has confirmed that four people
died in auto crash at Gubi village on Bauchi-Kano Road last Tuesday.
Mr Henry Olatunji, the state Sector Commander, told our
correspondnet in Bauchi that the accident, involving two vehicles, occurred in
the morning.
He said that a Honda Accord car with registration AE108 MSA
and a Peugeot J5 with number SA 804 DKU collided, adding that the collision
resulted in fire, which led to the death of the passengers.
Olatunji said that the passengers were burnt beyond
recognition.
He noted that five
other passengers sustained injuries and that both the dead and the injured ones
were taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.
Benue
A community leader at Ochama in Okpokwu Local Government
area of Benue State, Mr Joseph Aba, has appealed to the state government to
provide relief materials to victims of the flood disaster in the area.
Aba, in a statement
made available to The Tide in Makurdi, appealed to the State Emergency
Management Agency (SEMA) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to
send the relief materials urgently to the victims of the disaster.
The statement claimed that hundreds of houses and farm lands
were swept away by flood, adding that Madikpo clan was the most affected area.
The statement also noted that most children in the area had
been exposed to cold and were sleeping in the open alongside their parents due
to the lack of shelter.
FCT
The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, last Tuesday
called on the media to play active roles in Nigeria’s transformation by paying
more attention to developmental issues.
Maku made the call in Abuja at an interactive session with
journalists on the forthcoming good governance tour, jointly organised by the
ministry and the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
He urged
journalists to desist from overheating the polity through their reportage of
the impending 2015 elections, and urged them to use the opportunity of the
forthcoming tour to redirect the focus of their reports and features to
developmental issues.
Maku said that the nation would benefit more if journalists
and media organisations re-examined the direction and philosophy of their
operations.
The minister said the tour would be unique in approach,
content and composition, adding that other stakeholders, apart from the media,
had been incorporated to give the exercise the desired credibility.
Jos
The Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Mailafia, has said
in Jos that the Federal Government had commenced assessment of areas hit by the
flood that swept through many states of the federation.
The minister disclosed this when she led a team, constituted
to carry out the assessment, on a courtesy call on Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State.
According to the minister, the team is expected to tour all
states affected by the disaster and, recommend ways to assist the victims and
to avoid a recurrence, pointing out that the team was in the state to see the
level of devastation caused there and to make recommendations to the
government.
“Over the last few months there had been series of flooding
across the country, including Plateau. We hope to recommend and implement
stringent measures to end the trend.
Kaduna
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on
Tuesday awarded the Kaduna State Commissioner for Environment and Natural
Resources, Mr Zakaria Shamaki, the ‘Best Performing Commissioner in Nigeria
2012’ award.
Presenting the award in Kaduna, Mr Kolawole Olaoluwa, the
President of the association, said that the honour was in recognition of the
commissioner’s commitment to education in the state.
Olaoluwa remarked that Shamaki’s contribution towards
promoting best environmental practice earned him the “National Merit Award of
the Nigerian Students’’.
Katsina
The Community-Based Agricultural and Rural Development
Programme (CBARDP) has received N2.1 billion of the N2.7 billion approved
budget for the 2012 projects implementation, Alhaji, Abu Kankia, the National
Programme Coordinator, has disclosed.
Kankia told The
Tide in Katsina that the money was received from the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), the major financier of the programme, as well
as the participating states and local governments.
The money, he said, covered the period January to August
2012 and represented 78 per cent financial performance.
He spoke on the sidelines of the 16th Supervision Mission of
the programme led by the IFAD Country Programme Manager, Ms Atsuko Toda, with
other IFAD and Federal Government officials, IFAD consultants and
journalists as members of the team.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Command of Nigerian Immigration Service
(NIS) has concluded arrangements to deport 70 suspected illegal immigrants, the
Comptroller, Alhaji Sule Momoh, said.
Momoh told our correspondent
in Birnin Kebbi that the immigrants were arrested during routine checks.
He said the arrests
indicated an increase of entry by illegal immigrants into the state from
neighbouring countries, namely Niger Republic and Republic of Benin.
“The apprehended immigrants had no legal documents that
would guarantee them to conveniently stay within Nigeria.
“But we would expand our vigilance and deport such illegal
immigrants,” Momoh stressed.
Kogi
Displaced residents of Lokoja and its environs in Kogi State
have appealed to the state government for assistance as flood continued to
ravage the areas.
The victims, in
separate interviews with our correspondent in Lokoja, pleaded with the
government to urgently provide temporary accommodation for them.
The appeal followed the flooding of houses on the banks of
the River Niger, which had displaced hundreds of people, including women and
children.
Our correspondent who visited the affected areas, observed
that the river had overflowed its banks, submerging houses and washing away
property worth millions of naira.
Kwara
A bill to establish Kwara State Urban Regional Planning
Board has scaled through first reading at the House of Assembly.
Majority Leader Abdulkareem AbdulGaniyu moved the motion for the first reading of the bill,
while Hajiya Raliat Aremu Adifa, the member representing Lanwa-Ejidongari
constituency, seconded the motion.
Speaker Rasaz Atunwa
directed the House Committees on Land and Housing and Business Rules to work on
the bill to ensure proper passage.
Meanwhile, the
Assembly has rejected the report of its Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban
Development on a petition written by Atari community in Offa over the taking
over of their parcel of land.
Lagos
Wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, has said
3,500 students participated in the 2012 summer school programme, organised by
Lagos Empowerment and Resource Network (LEARN), her initiative.
Speaking at the closing ceremony last Tuesday, Fashola said
the students were taught core subjects, vocational skills and recreation,
adding that the programme took place in seven centres in Agidingbi, Ketu,
Ibeju-Lekki, Mushin, Surulere, Egbeda and Ojo.
“Five years ago, when we initiated this programme, our
objective was to engage students positively during the long summer vacation. It
was to first and foremost make them responsible and secondly, keep them safe
and from the streets.
Nasarawa
Five officers of the Nigeria Police Force in Nasarawa State
Police Command have been promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of
Police.
The Tide reports that the officers, Umar Mohammed,
Tarfa Ibrahim, Monday Bala-Kurya, Mohammed Bosso-Barje and Aliyu Haruna, were
promoted for being hard-working and committed to duty.
Mr Micheal Zuokumor, the AIG in-charge of Zone 4, decorated
the officers at a brief ceremony at the police officers’ mess in Lafia.
Decorating the officers, Zuokumor said the promotion was part of the
Inspector-General of Police’s on-going reforms in the force, adding that the
gesture would serve as motivation for better performance.
Ogun
The Ogun State
government says it had spent N783.1
million on the construction of flyover bridge at Ibara roundabout in
Abeokuta. The Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Works, Mr Kayode Ademolake, disclosed this during an oversight
visit to the ministry by the State House of Assembly Committee on Housing and
Infrastructure.
Ademolake, who put the total cost of the project at N1.5
billion, said that the government had released N783.1 million, adding that the bridge construction in Amolaso in
Abeokuta South Local Government area was 60 per cent completed, while the state government had released N60.5
million out of the N89.5 million cost of the project.
“I also want you to know that the cost of the construction
of Quarry-Surulere, Ita-Eko road was N59.1 million. Just as the construction of
Ibara, Ita-Eko, Sokori, Totoro road which is ongoing will cost N1.3 billion,’’
he said.
Oyo
In its effort to reduce the shortage of teachers, the Oyo
State Government has commenced a one- week training for 3,000 YES-O education
cadets in the three senatorial districts.
The cadets, who are graduates of education, will be deployed
to public primary and secondary schools immediately after completing the
training.
Mrs Adetokunbo Fayokun, the Commissioner for Education,
announced the plan in Ibadan at the opening of the training, adding that the
training was aimed at ensuring that the cadets were equipped with requisite
skills and knowledge to function in their places of assignment.
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).