Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako being received by some commissioners and special advisers at Yola International Airport, recently. Photo:NAN
Benue
Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State has urged the Federal Government to intervene in the Fulani/Tiv land skirmishes, to put an end to it.
Suswam who made the call at the Town Hall Meeting in Makurdi to mark the end of the Good Governance tour in the state said that the greatest problem besetting the rural farmers in the state was the intermittent land feud they had with some invading herdsmen.
The governor advised the Federal Government to take the issue of the Fulani/Tiv crises more seriously, to enhance the growth of the peasant farmers in the state.
Responding to questions from participants at the meeting, Suswam said Benue was a rural state and his administration was committed to the construction of rural roads.
He dismissed insinuations that teachers in the state were being owed, adding that a staff audit of the teachers had commenced, to avoid payment to ghost teachers.
Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has expressed reservation with the quality of work in some sections of the proposed campus of the state university in Maiduguri.
Shettima made the observation when he paid an unscheduled visit to the campus located at the site of the defunct Borno Informatics Institute on Jos Road, Maiduguri.
He expressed concern about the quality of work at the administrative building and described it as ‘deficient.’
He advised the contractor handling the project to rectify the problem, noting that the supervising engineers from the Ministry of Works was responsible for the defects.
The governor warned that government would henceforth hold site engineers responsible for poorly executed projects.
“The site engineers posted from the Ministry of Works have the right to reject poorly executed projects from the onset.
FCT
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOSCF), Alhaji Isah Sali said on Thursday in Abuja that the introduction of Performance Management System (PMS) would enhance the productivity of civil servants.
Sali made the statement at a sensitisation workshop to PMS, organised by the office of the HOCSF for officers on the Directorate Cadre of the service.
Sali said PMS had been recognised as the backbone for transforming the civil service into an institution of excellence and quality service delivery and the vehicle to drive the transformation agenda of the present administration.
The HOSCF was represented on the occasion by Mr Charles Bonat, the Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Records in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
Jigawa
Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa has said that President Goodluck Jonathan’s planned visit to the state would boost commercial activity in the state.
our correspondent reports that the President, billed to visit Jigawa State between November 5 and November 6, is expected to lay the foundation stone of the proposed Jigawa State University of Agriculture and Dutse International Airport.
Jonathan is also scheduled to inaugurate other development projects executed by the Lamido-led administration.
Lamido told newsmen, shortly after inspecting some of the projects in Dutse, that the visit will enable the people of the state to meet with the president, adding that the visit would attract positive developments to the state.
Kaduna
The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria has offered legal services to 719 persons in Kaduna State, the coordinator, Mrs Biba Ohwoavwovhua, has said.
Ohwoavwohua stated this on Thursday in Kaduna during the council’s nationwide annual awareness campaign.
She told newsmen that the council had provided legal services to persons who lacked the means to hire lawyers, adding that it was involved in civil and criminal cases, including cases of persons accused of capital offences.
“We assist them in making sure that they are not convicted before being heard. As far as legal aid is concerned, we are there to show concern, represent and to make sure we diligently defend whoever is accused,’’ she said.
Ohwoavwohua identified distance and inadequate funding as some of the challenges facing the organisation, noting that it was always difficult to offer necessary and timely assistance to people outside the state capital such as Kafanchan, Zaria and Birnin Gwari.
Kano
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Kano State on Wednesday said that no fatal accident was recorded during the Eid-el kabir in the state
The Sector Commander, Shehu Zaki, told newsmen that the commission’s public enlightenment and the deployment of its officers to the highways contributed to the success recorded.
Zaki, however, said that the commission recorded minor accidents, which did not cause much damage to vehicles and the passengers.
He cautioned motorists to keep the good behaviour, noting that the commission was disturbed at the rate of over-loading and over-speeding on some routes.
Kebbi
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in Kebbi State will collaborate with faith based organisation to combat environmental degradation in the state.
The state Coordinator of the agency, Dr Kasim Ahmed, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday
Ahmed said that NESREA and Nasirullah Faith Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) would campaign against human activities which contributed to 60 per cent degradation of major cities and towns in the state.
He said the agency decided on the collaboration because NASFAT wide spread in the state and across the nation.
He said that the NASFAT interaction and sessions with Muslim faithful influenced their choice as well as their social and cultural orientation, adding that the two organisations would jointly campaign against unhealthy disposal of waste materials such as cans and polythene bags.
Kwaraa
The Kwara State Government treated 8, 979 people with eye disorders between January and July, Dr Afolabi Ezekiel, the Programme Manager of Kwara Eye Care Scheme, said.
Ezekiel told newsmen in Ilorin on Tuesday that the people were treated of eye afflictions, including cataract and glaucoma.
“The state government is committed to the treatment of eye disorders in the state,” it said, and advised people above 40 years to go for regular eye tests to prevent blindness, stressing that 80 per cent of eye disorders which led to blindness were avoidable and treatable.
The ophthalmologist advised the people against the use of urine and other local medications for the treatment of eye diseases.
Lagos
President, Advisory Committee of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), has urged budding talents in the country to show commitment to sport.
Oludotun-Segun told newsmen on Thursday in Lagos that his committee was evolving an arrangement to enable sportsmen and women to develop themselves educationally, just as they built their sports careers.
“Education is very important; it is also good to develop one”s talent, especially when it is discovered at the early stages. The idea is that no one should suffer any serious disadvantage,’’ he said.
According to him, poor educational background has a way of affecting an athlete’s career because such a person would not be able to interact freely with his or her contemporaries.
Ogun
Ogun State Police Command says it has arrested a 62-year old man for allegedly defiling his 10-year old step-daughter in Abeokuta.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ogun State, Muyiwa Adejobi, told newsmen in Abeokuta that the suspect had earlier evaded arrest.
He said that the suspect committed the alleged offence on October 27 around Ayetoro area of Abeokuta, adding that the combined efforts of police and public-spirited individuals led to the arrest.
The ASP said that the suspect had been taken to the state Criminal Investigation Department of the Anti-Human Trafficking for further interrogations.
The PPRO said that information available to police was that the suspect had always slept with the victim before she finally broke her silence to relatives.
Oyo
The Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN) has appealed to the Federal Government to protect local fish farmers against dumping of foreign fishes in Nigerian market.
The President of the association, Chief Tayo Akingbolagun made the appeal during the opening of the Oyo State CAFAN 2012 Catfish Fair in Ibadan.
He said that the protection became necessary to enable the farmers attain the target of one million tonnes of fish production in the next five years.
According to him, the target is set under the Federal Government’s Aqua-culture Value Chain Development programme, saying that dumping of foreign fish in Nigeria was one of the greatest challenges facing the local fishing industry.
“Government should address this challenge as stakeholders embark on strategies for effective take off of fisheries development under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda,’’ he said.
Plateauu
Information Minister, Labaran Maku has said that Nigeria was not ripe for state police.
Some governors have continued to clamour for state police, using the argument that the step would empower them, as chief executives of their states, to effectively secure their domains.
But Maku, who led the national good governance tour team, currently in Plateau State, to a visit to the Police Staff College, in the outskirts of Jos, said that the nation lacked adequate facilities to handle that.
He said that the nation’s police force was doing well in spite of the enormous challenges, stressing that advocates of state police had never looked at the area of training.
“Training is very key to success, unfortunately those asking for state police have not looked at that area.’’
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).