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NMA Faults JOHESUs’ Claims For Indefinite Strike

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has faulted the 15-day indefinite strike ultimatum issued to the Federal Government by members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), saying the health workers acted out of envy for the medical doctors.
In a press statement tagged, “Notice of 15-Day Ultimatum And Commencement of an Indefinite Strike Action by the Joint Health Sector Union: Matters Arising” and made available to newsmen, the NMA cautioned JOHESU on what it described as a ‘recurring affront’ against Medical and Dental Practitioners, saying that ‘it is largely drawn from their unbridled greed and envy.
The statement jointly signed by the President and Secretary-General of the association, Prof. Innocent Ujah, and Dr. Philip Ekpe said the position of JOHESU that physicians enjoy the best conditions of welfare in the Nigerian public health sector is surprising.
It reads, “The claim that physicians enjoy the best conditions of welfare in Nigerian public health sector: It is surprising this type of claim from a group of people that have the facts. We out rightly deny this. The condition of welfare of medical doctors in Nigeria is not different from that of other civil servants during and after retirement.
“JOHESU need to look elsewhere for the professions or workers or public servants with the best condition of service. Medical doctors are not members of the security services or work with Central Bank of Nigeria or the NNPC or politicians. How then can a Nigerian doctor be the worker with the best condition of welfare as JOHESU chooses to describe it?
“False claim of the existence of residency training for other health care providers: JOHESU is at it again! We are not aware that there is a residency training programme in the teaching hospitals, specialist hospitals, and federal medical centres. If there is evidence of a government-approved structured programme, JOHESU should provide it. A non-specialist cannot be training and certifying a specialist. It doesn’t exist anywhere in the world. The content of this claim by JOHESU is false and is calculated to mislead the government and the general public.
“Implementation of Consultant Pharmacist cadre- The NMA has made her observations known on this matter to the Ministry of Health and the Head of Service. We choose not to over-stretch this because we cannot be seen to be supporting creations that add no value to treatment of patients and with consequent waste of funds that could be useful in solving other health-related problems in the hospitals.”
The purported creation of Consultant Pharmacist cadre is a violation of the NICN judgment which places the authority of creation of such cadre on the FMOH.
There is no such thing as Consultant Pharmacist in hospital settings anywhere in the world.
“Promoting hospital-based Consultants to be CEO of Federal Tertiary Hospitals – We refer JOHESU to the enabling Act setting up the teaching hospitals which spelled out very clearly the conditions for the appointment of CEOs of Hospital. Reference was made to postgraduate qualifications and not Consultant. Secondly, the Act made no reference to full-time or part-time employees of government alone. JOHESU should remember that any non-public servants can be recruited to that position of CEO in a hospital, if he or she satisfies those conditions as set out in the enabling Act.
“Non-discriminatory hazard allowance – The position of NMA is well known to the government and JOHESU on hazard allowance is currently being negotiated.
“Upward review of retirement age for health care professionals – This come under item 14 of the ADR list and indeed is of similar interest to the Nigerian Medical Association. While we support the demand for an increase in the retirement age for health care professionals, we wish to place on record that government had released the white paper on Onosode report of 1981 as far back as 1982, among others,” the statement reads.
The associated said it wish to assure the Federal Government of its commitment to providing quality health care, peace, and harmony in the health sector while calling on JOHESU to come to equity with clean hands as their current affront against Medical and Dental Practitioners Council of Nigeria cannot advance their course.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.