Rivers
Resident Doctors Laud Wike’s Efforts In Healthcare Delivery
Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital chapter, have lauded the efforts, policies and laudable projects embarked upon by the state government towards improving healthcare delivery in the state.
The association also noted with happiness and excitement, the elevation of the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, to a teaching hospital by the state government, saying that the far-reaching effect of the elevation of the hospital would have positive impact in the areas of manpower development and capacity upgrade for personnel in the health sector.
They further that the policy would create enabling environment for the care of patients with wide range of complex medical conditions.
The President of NARD, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital chapter, Dr George Matthew Ela, stated this during a media briefing of the new executive held at the conference room of the state university teaching hospital in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
He averred that the state-of-the-art Mother and Child Hospital built by the state government would offer women and children a unique opportunity to receive first-class medicare, which can be found in any part of the world, and also help reduce maternal, prenatal and infant mortality rates in the state.
“The ongoing massive renovation work and upgrade of the hospital’s facilities to meet international standards will promote the quality of service delivery. The rebuilding of the junior doctors’ quarters, which also houses resident doctors’ call rooms, is noteworthy. However, we are calling on the contractor handling these projects to increase the pace of work so as to ensure their speedy completion and commissioning,” he stated.
Ela used the opportunity to call on the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to urgently begin the process to fast-track the process of domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA) through sending an executive bill to the state House of Assembly for consideration and passage into law.
He argued that the Act, which was signed into law by the president in 2018, was the roadmap to residency training programme in the country as it would largely help to stem the tide of brain drain in the medical sector in the state.
Ela further called on the state government to properly place doctors on CONMESS3 Salary Structure, saying that the state remains the only state in the South-South that was yet to implement the scheme.
According to him, “Doctors are yet to be promoted for the past 6 to 8 years. Again, we are appealing to the state government to ensure the accreditation of all unaccredited departments of the hospital with the National Post-Graduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPGMCN) and the West African College of Surgeons (WACS).
“The planned employment of 5,000 youths, of which healthcare staff are part of, including resident doctors, is a welcome development. We commend the state government for the move, and pray it will soon be a reality as this will ameliorate the burden placed on an already overstretched workforce in the state,” he stated.
On the Covid-19 pandemic, he disclosed that the state has not lost any medical doctor.
He, however, urged residents of the state to observe all Covid-19 protocols as stipulated by the state government, adding that the pandemic was real even as he assured that members of the association were posed to render effective healthcare service delivery in the state.
“We are bringing good tidings to the people of the state that resident doctors are ready to provide sufficient healthcare services as we do not expect any strike this year”, he added.
Operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have arrested twenty seven (27) individuals in connection with suspicious illegal oil bunkering.
The information was contained in a statement by the Commission and made available to newsmen.
According to the statement, the suspects were arrested last Friday, at Ahoada Local Government Area.
The suspects are: Mohammad Bello; Abubarkar Umar; Abdulkarim Ibrahim; Mohammad Bashimu; Bello Mohammad, Abdullahi Murtala; Paul Paparoman; Abdullahi Ibrahim; Usman Abdulahi; Illiyasu Ibrahim and Idris Dahiru.
Others are Hussaini Yaiu; Bala Audu; Ibrahim Muhammad; Auwal Abdulsalam; Laminu Yusuf; Suleiman Abubarkar; Abdulahi Musa; Mamuda Abdulahi; Edima Samuel Gospel; Nural Abdulahi; Dauda Adamu; Adamu Ibrahim; Ali Abah; Sabiu Sani, Azumi Blaik and Keshim Ordu.
“They were arrested in a random raid conducted by the EFCC, based on verified intelligence on their alleged illegal oil bunkering activities.
“In the course of the arrest, large quantities of products suspected to be illegally- refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) were found with them. Twenty (20) jerry cans and 25 litres of the products, stored in drums and tanks, ready for onward transportation to various locations, were intercepted.
“The suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded”, the statement added.
The Chairman of Degema Local Government Area, Hon. Michael John Williams, has counselled Rivers Law Students to be diligent in their academic pursuit, by paying attention to the core values of patience, learning and perseverance.
The Chairman gave the counsel when the students’ union, under the aegis of Law Bar Council (LAWBAR), Rivers State University, paid him a courtesy visit at the council headquarters in Degema.
Admonishing the students, the council boss noted that the legal profession was about service to humanity, adding that for them to succeed in the profession, they must be willing to learn from good mentors who had gone ahead of them.
The Chairman who harped on mentorship and apprenticeship, noted that “if you cannot learn well, you cannot lead well,” adding that apprenticeship and mentorship were interwoven.
He charged them not to disappoint their parents and the society, by taking their studies seriously and shunning sharp practices that may ruin their future.
Earlier, the LAWBAR, an affiliate union of the Law Students’ Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) had, while inviting the council boss to attend their forthcoming LAWSAN Call To Bar Ceremony, billed for October 6, 2021, at the Rivers State University, as Special Guest of Honour, commended him for his giant strides in office.
They noted that the choice of the council chairman to speak to the young lawyers on mentorship, as the only non legal practitioner at the event, was based on his many achievements, which had endeared him to Degema people and beyond.
“Our choice of you is premised on your developmental strides in Degema Local Government Area, which has brought you to spotlight as a role model to aspiring leaders like us within and outside our dear State.
“It is therefore with great sense of delight and with penchant humility that we inform you that you will be admonishing us on how to succeed in life beyond our profession vis-a-vis life after school,” they noted.
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps in the State has denied arresting and unlawfully detaining one John Jamiu for two fighting as alleged by his friend, Victor Chukwu.
The command admitted that the suspect was arrested based on information of threat to life in their station by one Cecilia Chukwu on September 6.
The security agency said this was after Cecilia had reported that a hoodlum wanted to kidnap her children.
In an interview, the spokesperson of the command, Akin Oguntuashe told newsmen that the suspect confessed that he was hired by one Tiger.
The NSCDC spokesperson, who confirmed that the suspect was granted bail but could not meet the bail conditions, said Tiger was a kingpin who was responsible for the alleged threat to life.
Oguntuashe further stated that the command was lawfully empowered to arrest any suspect, adding that after investigation the command can hand over the suspect to the relevant security agency for prosecution.
Recall that Victor Chukwu had accused the NSCDC, Rivers State Command of illegally detaining his friend, John Jamiu for more than five days in a case of two persons fighting.
Chukwu told newsmen that her sister who resides at 306 Ikwerre road, Port Harcourt called her on phone that her neighbour with children were fighting her.
According to Chukwu, he arrived his sister’s house an hour later with his friend John Jamiu to know from the woman what transpired between them but the woman was not in the house.
Chukwu stated that he was surprised when the sister’s neighbour brought personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest his friend Jamiu rather than going to the Police if she had any complaint.
He disclosed that he went to the headquarters of NSCDC but they denied that his friend was in their custody as at last Tuesday.
He claimed that Jamiu’s friends were only allowed to see him the next day, (last Wednesday) when they brought food for him.
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