Nation
THE STATES
R-L: Minister of Finance and author of the book, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former Commonwealth Secretary General and Chairman of the occasion, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, representative of the President of Nigeria, Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Chief Launcher, Ide Ahaba, Chief Sonny Odogwu, at a book presentation entitled `Reforming The Unreformable, Lesson From Nigeria' by Dr Iweala in Abuja,recently. Photo: NAN.
Benue
Benue State Commissioner for Education, Dr Elizabeth Ugo, has advised secondary schools principals in the state to desist from admitting students into JSSIII, SSII and SSIII classes.
Ugo gave this advice in Makurdi at a meeting between the ministry and stakeholders in the education sector.
The commissioner who emphasised that the stoppage of the practice had become necessary to check and to eliminate all forms of examination malpractice., lamented that Benue was always on top of the chart of states that indulged in examination malpractice, adding that the development was tarnishing the image of the state.
Ekiti
The Chairman, Ekiti Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Chief Aaron Komolafe, has urged contingent to the 2012 Jerusalem pilgrimage to see the exercise as a serious spiritual one and not as a jamboree.
He gave the charge in Ado-Ekiti at a one-day orientation programme organised for the intending pilgrims.
Komolafe, who noted that the programme was aimed at sensitising intending pilgrims on what would be required of them before and during the pilgrimage, advised them to allow the impact of pilgrimage to reflect on them, their families, Ekiti and the country at large.
He warned them to be moderately dressed and to exhibit characters that would show them as people from the land of honour, adding that they should be good ambassadors of the state.
FCT
The Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike has urged the Universal Basic Education Commission to improve its monitoring and evaluation of basic education projects.
Wike, who made the call while monitoring the Federal Government Special Girl-Child School project in Lafia, Nasarawa State, said that the practice would ensure that the projects achieved their desired results.
He expressed disappointment over the poor supervision of construction work in the school and regretted that the quality of job carried out by the contractor under the supervision of UBEC consultant was below the specification of the Federal Government.
“I wonder why UBEC consultant would write the UBEC management claiming that the school has been fully completed and initiating the takeover process for the school.
Gombe
All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Gombe State Chapter, says over 1,600 farm lands were affected by flood in the state.
The Secretary of the association, Alhaji Gambo Sarkin-Noma disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Gombe.
He said that members of the association accompanied the committee set up by the Federal Government to inspect some of the affected areas that were seriously flooded, noting that plans were under way to drill boreholes in those areas for irrigation purposes.
According to him, almost every part of the state was affected but he identified the areas worst hit to include Dadin-Kowa in Yamaltu/Deba Local Government area which is close to the upper Benue river basin.
Jigawa
The Chairman, Jahun Local Government of Jigawa State, Alhaji Idris IIIiyasu has warned traders against indiscriminate dumping of wastes.
Illiyasu gave the warning while inspecting shopping malls, canteens and restaurants in Jahun town.
He decried the practice of indiscriminate dumping of waste by the traders, saying that the filthy environment exposed the residents to health risks.
“Poor waste disposal is posing serious environmental challenges,” he said, adding that the council would not condone acts capable of destroying the environment.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government said it spent more than N85 million on the payment of fees for its students that sat for the rescheduled 2011/2012 NECO examinations.
The state Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Muhammed Usman, said this in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna.
Usman said the amount was used to pay the fees for all candidates in public and private schools in the state.
The examinations were rescheduled following the June 17 bomb attack on Churches in Zaria and Kaduna, and the reprisals that followed which led to the imposition of a curfew in the state.
Kano
Livestock traders in Kano State said that they recorded low patronage during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Muslims worldwide celebrated Eid-el Kabir last Friday to mark the end of the 2012 Hajj operation.
“We have no choice but to return our unsold animals home due to low sales recorded this year,” some of the traders said.
Malam Habu Mu’azu, a trader from Rimin-Gado Local Government area of Kano, said he recorded a loss due to poor patronage.
“This year has been a horrible one in terms of sales. I brought 30 rams but I only sold eight during the two weeks of my stay in the city.”
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has released N156 million for the payment of tuition and registration fees for indigent students on scholarship in tertiary institutions.
The executive secretary of the state scholarship board, Alhaji Murtala Yauri told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi has that the payment to each institution would be immediate.
He said personal details of beneficiaries would be scrutinised to avoid irregularities, adding that students who had earlier paid their tuition or registration fees would be refunded “after showing evidence of such payment”.
He said N1.2 billion had been spent in the past two years for the payment of tuition and registration fees for students within and outside the country, pointing out that the government recently released N67 million for the sponsorship of 32 indigent students to study Medicine and Pharmacy in Sudanese Universities.
Kwara
The Kwara State Government has expressed its readiness to promote the cultivation of ‘Moringa’ plant tree because of its medicinal and economic potential.
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed stated this in Ilorin in a message to the conference of the ‘Moringa’ Development Association.
He said that the government would encourage youths undergoing training at the Youth Farm Centre, Malete, in Moro Local Government Area to go into large-scale ‘Moringa’ farming with a view to boosting the state’s economy.
Lagos
Community Conservation and Development Initiatives (CCDI), an NGO, has urged local governments to establish local emergency management committees in their communities.
CCDI’s Director of Programmes, Mrs Kofo Adeleke, said in a statement in Lagos that such committees would be needed in disaster risk reduction and management.
Adeleke said that it was imperative for councils in the country’s six geopolitical zones to have structures on ground for reducing flood-related emergencies.
“Local councils in different parts of Nigeria need to be prompted to have these committees in place, as recently directed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA),” she said.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development,Hajia Hadiza Alakayi, has urged parents to give priority to girl-child education to develop the state.
The Commissioner made the call at Obi during her familiarisation tour of Obi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
According to her, educating a female child is like educating the entire society; this is because women are vital instruments for development in every society.
She urged parents who considered the education of a girl-child as less important to reverse such notion and act wisely as that would enable them to overcome future challenges.
Ogun
The Ogun State Chief Judge, Justice Tokunbo Olopade, has set free 13 inmates in Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu prisons.
The inmates were released during the visit of the chief judge to the two prisons.
Nine inmates including four women regained their freedom in Ijebu Ode while an additional four in Sagamu prison had their sentences quashed.
The offences committed by the former inmates ranged from wandering, stealing, inability to repay loans as well as fighting.
Speaking during the visit, Olopade decried the attitude of the police in duplicating case files of the inmates, which she said, was making efforts at releasing those unjustly detained difficult.
Yobe
The Yobe State Livestock Development Programme said it had targeted 2,000 youths and women for training on commercial livestock farming and fattening before the end of the year.
The Programme Manager, Dr Mustapha Gaidam, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu said that the training would equip youths and women with techniques on commercial livestock farming as a means of employment and wealth creation.
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).