Nation
THE STATES
Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, has condemned last Wednesday’s attack on geologists and exploration workers from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) and the University of Maiduguri by suspected Boko Haram fighters around Jibi village in the state.
Shettima made the condemnation in a statement issued last Thursday in Maiduguri by his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau.
He said that since he first got information concerning the attack on his way to visit President Muhammadu Buhari in London, he hasn’t been his normal self and is yet to recover from the shock of the attack.
“I haven’t been my normal self since I received information of that attack. What happened in the first instance was a tragic setback in the fight against Boko Haram and in Nigeria’s effort to expand its economic fortunes”, he said.
FCT
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has threatened to begin a strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over a dispute with Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).
Addressing newsmen in Abuja last Thursday after a National Executive Council meeting, NUPENG President, Mr Igwe Achese, said the strike was inevitable because of three billion naira terminal benefits allegedly owed some sacked oil sector workers.
Achese said that those affected were former staff of Seawolf Drilling, an oil servicing firm, in Rivers State.
He said the management of AMCON was being lackadaisical in meeting its obligation of settling the workers.
Jigawa
The Fistula Foundation, Nigeria, last Tuesday said no fewer than 1.2 million women and girls were suffering from Obstetric Fistula, (VVF) in the country.
The Founder and Executive Director of the foundation, Malam Musa Isa, said this in Dutse during the graduation of 108 rehabilitated obstetric fistula patients in the state.
Isa said that the foundation had from 2014 to date, rehabilitated a total of 408 VVF patients in the state.
He explained that obstetric fistula is a devastating condition brought about by child birth injury caused when a woman suffers a prolonged or difficult labour, without obtaining the right medical attention.
The executive director added that the baby usually dies and the woman is left not only without her child but also with a hole or fistula in her birth canal, resulting in chronic incontinence.
Kaduna
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, last Thursday said, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had within the past two years built about 2,000 housing units across its bases in the country.
The CAS spoke through Air Officer Commanding, Air Training Command, AVM Christopher Okoye at the 46th convocation lecture of Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in Kaduna.
Our correspondent reports that the lecture, with the theme “Contemporary Issues in Aircraft Maintenance in the 21st Century’’, was delivered by Mr Olatunji Agoro, Director, Quality and Safety, Dornier Aviation.
Abubakar said that NAF had been well funded within the past two years and expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for the unrelenting efforts at making NAF better.
Kano
The Kano State University of Science and Technology(KUST), Wudil, has matriculated 4,988 students for the 2016/2017 academic session.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Shehu Alhaji disclosed this during the university’s 16th Matriculation ceremony at its campus in Wudil last Thursday.
He said the faculty of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology had the highest registered students of 1,158, while the Faculty of Earth and Environment has the lowest students of 465.
He added that the matriculation was intended to extract a promise from each of the students of strick adherence and observance of the code of conduct of the institution which is contained in their handbooks.
Kogi
Kogi State Government said last Thursday that it had plans to partner with health practitioners in the private sector for the on the job training of its Environmental Health Officers (EHOs).
Director-General of the state Bureau for Public Private Partnership (BPPP), Mr Robert Achanya, disclosed this at a news conference in Lokoja.
He said the partnership would boost the capacity of the EHOs, get registered and certificated to enable them inspect premises according to the law for enhanced service delivery.
He said many of the EHOs in the state could not enforce environmental laws or carry out inspection of premises because they were not registered or licensed.
Kwara
A 37-year-old primary school teacher, Biodun Baba, was last Thursday arraigned before an Ilorin Senior Magistrates Court for allegedly defaming Senate President Bukola Saraki on Facebook.
Baba, a teacher at LGEA School, Olorunlana in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State was alleged to have through his Facebook postings been inciting the public against Saraki.
The criminal charges were filed following a complaint by Alhaji Jimoh Adesina, Chairman, Kwara South chapter of the APC to the Chamber of S. I. Solagberu and Co, Ilorin.
Adesina, accused Baba of printing or engraving matters on his Facebook wall known to be defamatory.
Lagos
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, last Thursday appealed to communities not to misuse government projects and assets in their localities, but to take ownership and protect them for the benefit of all.
Ambode, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, made the remark at a two-day leadership training for Lagos State Community Development Committees and Associations (CDCs).
The theme of the training was: “Inclusive Governance, a Catalyst for Sustainable Development’’.
He said that hostile attitude to government assets was a reflection of subject culture that prevailed under military rule when unelected and unaccountable government were the order of the day.
Ondo
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, last Thursday, lauded the achievements recorded by the Nigerian Navy, promising to support their operations in the state in any area they desired.
Akeredolu, spoke in Akure during a courtesy visit by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Agada.
He said that the state, with its wide and deep coastline, would be of great benefit to the navy operationally.
The Governor said the area would provide a better atmosphere for training to the navy than many other parts of the country.
Oyo
Oyo State workers are to receive outstanding salaries for April and May from the recently released Paris Club refunds and the June monthly allocation.
It was gathered that the Oyo State Government received N7.9billion from the Paris Club refunds released by the Federal Government.
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun, disclosed this in Ibadan last Thursday, following the approval of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
Arulogun said that about 72 per cent of the N7.9 billion Paris Club fund was committed to salaries and salary-related payments.
“President Muhammadu Buhari directed that at least 50 per cent of the Paris Club refunds should be committed to the payment of salaries of workers in States.
“Governor Ajimobi, who has always displayed his humanitarian and welfarist disposition and commitment to workers’ welfare, has committed above the stipulated 50 per cent to salaries and other allowances.
Plateau
Chairman of the Pankshin Local Government In-terim Management Committee (IMC), Mr Stephen Jings, sacked on June 29, was last Thursday sworn-in as councillor representing Jing Ward in the reconstituted IMC.
The Plateau State Government had dissolved the IMC after serving for two years and reconstituted a new IMC in what Governor Simon Lalong said was part of efforts to breed new ideas into governance.
However, report reveals that, unlike in the past when councillors received salaries, those in the reconstituted IMC would receive only sitting allowances.
Sources indicated that Jings, who was sworn-in alongside 18 others by his successor, Mrs. Naomi Golmen, had tried to return as IMC Chairman, but was not successful as stakeholders were divided over his nomination.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government says it has spent N1.3 billion on its students undergoing various medical courses in the Islamic Republic of Sudan in the last two years.
The state Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Sahabi Gada, made the disclosure in Sokoto last Tuesday while briefing newsmen.
According to him, about 100 indigenes of the state are currently studying medical courses in Sudan.
The commissioner explained that, the essence of sponsoring them was to address shortage of manpower in the health sector in the state.
He said that the government approved N900 million for local and other indigenous students studying various science courses outside the country.
The commissioner said that the money was meant for the payment of scholarship and tuition fees of the students.
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).