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Justify Your Promotion, Buhari Tells Police Officers
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, charged public officers entrusted with certain responsibilities to live up to their duties and justify the confidence reposed in them.
He said this was the only way Nigeria could overcome current hardships facing the nation.
Speaking in Abuja while decorating two of the newly promoted officers of the Nigeria Police Force Abdulkarim Dauda and Kayode Sikiru Akande promoted from the position of Assistant Commissioner of Police to Deputy Commissioner of Police respectively and deployed to his office, the president who congratulated the officers, urged them to justify their new ranks by increasing their commitment to the service of the nation.
He also commended them for their hard work and achievements which prompted their promotion.
A statement by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu quoted the president as stressing that Nigeria needed their dedication and unwavering commitment for it to achieve greatness and assume its rightful position, cautioning them not to abuse their positions.
The promoted cops would serve as Chief Personal Security Officer to the President and the Officer in Charge of Presidential Movement respectively.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in Lagos revealed why he retained the former Inspector-General Police, Solomon Arase when he assumed office.
This came as different speakers took turns to commend the laudable achievements of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State since assumption of office on May 29, 2015, at the public presentation of a book, “Cascade of Change: A decade of liberal thoughts.”, written by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, held at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The discussions on the book centred on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s first year in office.
The President, who was the Special Guest of Honour, while speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said he retained Arase not because of his strategy and tactics as a police, but because of Arase’s intellect and capacity as an operation person. Adesina, quoted Arase as saying that it was very strange for him to have been invited for a farewell dinner.
Adesina, who spoke about the reaction of the immediate past IGP to a farewell dinner organised in his honour by Buhari, said Arase had expected that he would be sacked before the end of his tenure.
His words: “While he (Arase) was speaking at the dinner in Abuja, he told the President that it was very strange for him to have been invited for a farewell dinner, because, what we know in Nigeria is that, you are sacked on pages of newspapers.”
According to Adesina, Arase, also had the fear that, since, he was inherited by Buhari’s administration, he was not sure that he would be retained, so every day, he had the trepidation that he would hear that he had been removed”.
But quoting President Buhari on why he retained Arase till the end of his tenure, Adesina said: “When it was the turn of the president to speak, he explained why he kept Arase as IGP.
“He said, he saw the quality of his mind and he saw the quality of things, he had written. You know Arase has many publications to his credit and he also saw his capacity as an operation person and he decided to keep him till his tenure expired.”
According to Adeshina, “Mr. President appreciates sound mind and intellect and that shows the goodwill he has for Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the author of the book we are launching today.”
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
