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Brain Drain Results From Insecurity, Dearth Of Requisite Equipment -Wike
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has identified the intractable insecurity situation in Nigeria as one reason why most professionals leave the shores of the country in droves for greener pastures abroad.
Wike spoke on the cause of brain drain at the inauguration of the Renal/Dialysis Centre and House Officers’ Quarters at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
The Rivers State governor maintained that the welfare of doctors and other professionals was not primarily the sole reasons for brain drain in the country.
He noted that because of the looming unemployment situation in the country, most people now opt to go outside Nigeria for the dream job they desire.
Even when some of professionals are employed within Nigeria, Wike insisted that such persons were not provided with the requisite equipment to use in their various organisations and industries.
“When you talk about brain drain, it is not only associated with the medical profession. So, many people leave this country because of unemployment. So many people have left this country because of insecurity. So many people have left this country because where they work, the equipment is not there.
“It is not only just because of welfare that is why you see brain drain, no. It is not correct. Even professors in the university in the various faculties of law, faculties of engineering, most of them leave because the tools to work with are not there.
“But you are lucky, you (RSUTH staff) have the tools here. So, clap for us first that we have provided the basic things. Today, you’re lucky, you’re working in a teaching hospital where you can find the equipment, at least, to make your job easier for you. So, it is not as bad as where the equipment is not there.”
Wike reiterated that it was out of grateful heart that he thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the release of 13percent derivative fund arrears, from 1999 to date, that was never paid by previous administration to states in Niger Delta.
He wondered why saying ‘thank you’ has become an offense, adding that a particular governor feels offended over the thank you he said to President Buhari over the release of the funds.
According to Wike, the governor had gone on national television to say that the money spent to do a 3km road in his state would be used to construct more than 15 flyovers elsewhere.
“Simply because I said you people should thank President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing 13percent arrears to us. I did not abuse anybody. Did I? All I said is, please thank him, that if he did not release the arrears to me and some of our states, it may have been difficult for me to even talk about building a renal centre, cancer and cardiovascular centre, Basic and Clinical Sciences Faculty, house officers’ quarters. I don’t think saying ‘thank you’ is an offence.
“On television, I heard one of the governors said that in his state, to do 3-kilometre road will do more than 15 flyovers in Rivers. Rivers State, is it not Niger Delta state? Don’t we have riverine areas in Rivers State? Amanyanabo of Opobo said since he was born, he has never driven by road to Opobo.
“The day he drove by road to Opobo, he said, God is it possible that in my own time I will not go through the river again? I am now driving by road to Opobo! That is a major riverine area. By the grace of God, this December (2022), we are going to commission the first phase of Trans-Kalabari Road. That is a major riverine area”.
Speaking further, Wike said, “I didn’t know that people are sick about the flyovers I do. Okay, sorry. I don’t want you to be sick again. I won’t do again. Instead of you to appreciate and ask somebody, how are you doing this, and justify what you’re doing.
“I have turned the state capital around using a major construction firm like Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. If you know you have the capacity, if you know you have what it takes, go and take Julius Berger, and see whether you can pay salaries.”
Wike pointed to how determined he was in creating the space for medical education that led to the establishment of medical college at the Rivers State University (RSU), which hitherto was not in existence before he assumed office in 2015.
“To tell you it is not just flyovers, look at the health sector alone. As at the time we came, this state had no medical college, only the University of Port Harcourt had, and you see how competitive being a federal university. How many of our people get admission to read medicine and other related courses there?”
About 100 students of Rivers origin, he explained, at the PAMO University of Medical Sciences are also placed on state government scholarship, adding that upon graduation, they would gain automatic employment into government establishment.
Wike said while equipment are provided, and medical facilities upgraded, the manpower gap was also being filled.
The governor maintained that the current congestion experienced at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) was being addressed.
He explained that in the coming days, the GynaecologyDepartment would move to the Mother and Child Hospital, and other departments moving to their dedicated facilities like the Maxillo-Facial and Kelsey Harrison hospitals.
Speaking on the projects, Wike urged Nigerians to seek medical assistance from the Renal/Dialysis Centre because it has the best equipment and personnel to offer requisite services.
There is already an ongoing arrangement, Wike hinted, towards an effective management of the centre to ensure sustainability.
Wike also advised the house officers to imbibe maintenance culture so that they can always keep the quarters clean and maintain the structure.
In his speech, Chief Medical Director of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Friday Aaron, said the two projects inaugurated were signature of the genuine love of Wike for the state.
Aaron recalled that the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) was already constructing a Renal/Dialysis Unit, adding that whenWike noticed that if allowed in its form, it would be limited in the service it would offer.
The CMD said Wikehad directed an expansion of the unit into a world-class centre that would diagnose renal cases, perform dialysis and do kidney transplant.
This, he said,was because the governor believes that Rivers people deserve the best.
In his address, Commissioner for Health, Prof. PrincewillChike, said the renal centre was one of the best in Nigeria that has been provided by Wike for his love for the health sector.
The centre, he pointed out, was a one-storey building, with lift that can take 13 persons per time.
According to him, there were also doctors and nurses call rooms, water treatment unit, and a six-bed space dialysis area.
Chike also explained that on the first floor, there were two theatres; one is where kidney donors and recipients are kept, with equipment to ensure the marching of the kidney.
He said the second theatre was where the transplanting of the kidney would be done, adding that the situation would be properly monitored.
Chike said there is 100KVA standby generating set and 30KVA inverter with six solar plates to ensure regular power supply.
The Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr.Ebi Robinson, commended Wike for building the renal centre and equipping it with latest state-of-the-art medical equipment that would enhance the productivity of doctors in the hospital.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.