Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Unknown gunmen have attacked a bank and police station in Misau, Bauchi State, killing an undisclosed number of persons, including a policeman
Eye-witnesses told newsmen that the assailants raided the station and bank on Monday, exchanging fire with policemen.
Our correspondent learnt that the attackers who were trying to force themselves into the bank and the station were repelled by the policemen guarding the bank.
The attack on the police station in Misau is the second this year. A similar attack occurred earlier in the year when unknown gun- men attacked the same station and bank.
FCT
The Commissioner, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Mr Fola Daniel, has assured the organisers of the 2011 summit of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) of the commission’s support.
This is contained in a statement signed by the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Lucky Fiakpa, in Abuja..
The statement stated that Daniel gave the assurance when a delegation of the NESG 2011 Summit Organising Committee visited his office.
The committee was led by Dr Abdu Garba, from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Kaduna
Bishop Adeolu Kolawole of the Church of the Lord (Aladura), Northern Diocese, has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately resolve the controversy over the proposed Islamic system of banking.
Speaking with newsmen in Kaduna, Kolawole said educating the Christian community on Islamic banking would make the issue simple enough for all to appreciate.
He said more than half of those commenting on Islamic banking do not know what it means.
The cleric said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also helped in spreading the ignorance and confusion.
Kano
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to sustaining its policy on subsidising fertiliser and other inputs in order to boost food production in the country.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Adewumi Adesina, gave the assurance on Monday in Kano at the opening of the Second General Assembly of Nigerian farmers.
He said government was aware of the challenges facing the sector and it would do its best to address the problems.
“Logistics and all other unforeseen setbacks that continued to hamper the process of actualising the lofty objectives of agricultural development in the country would be addressed,” Adesina said.
Kogi
The Joint Fellowship of Christians and Muslims of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps in Kogi, has donated gift items to orphanage homes in Ayangba, Dekina Local Government Area.
The items, which included clothes, consumables, provisions and toiletries were donated to three orphanage homes on Sunday during separate humanitarian visits to the inmates by members of the fellowship.
Making the presentation, the Chaplain, Mr Joe Uhunmwangho, said that the visit was part of the reach out programme of the fellowship.
He said the gesture was to ameliorate some of the difficulties confronting the orphanage homes.
Kwara
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has promised to be fair to all the three senatorial districts in the distribution of the dividends of democracy.
The governor made the pledge in Ilorin on Tuesday while inaugurating some projects executed by his administration to mark his 100 days in office.
He promised to ensure equitable distribution of projects, saying that no part would be marginalised in the effort to develop the state.
Ahmed expressed his determination to improve the standard of living of the citizens and ensure that necessary infrastructure were provided and maintained across the state.
facilities in their environment.
Nasarawa
Nasarawa State Government has inaugurated a 9- man committee to verify the construction of bore holes awarded by previous administration in the three senatorial zones.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Mr Philip Audu inaugurated the committee.
He urged them to live above board as they ascertained the presence of the bore holes in the senatorial zones as the previous government awarded them .
The permanent secretary stressed the need for attitudinal change, saying the present administration would “leave no stone unturned” in providing social amenities to the people.
“Al-makura’s administration is committed to providing basic social needs to the people, especially potable water, as water is essential in human life”.
Ogun
The Vice-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, Prof. Segun Awonusi, in Ijebu-Ode has expressed worry over dearth of academic staff in the universities.
Awonusi told newsmen that no university in the country could claim to have enough academic staff.
On the large number of students seeking admission into the universities every year, Awonusi noted that the human resource base of the universities was meagre compared with the number of candidates seeking admission into the institutions.
Besides, Awonusi decried the poor environment, lack of equipment, dilapidated building as well as inadequate funding of the universities.
The vice chancellor, however, appealed to government at all levels to invest more on education to solve these problems.
Ondo
The Chairman of Ondo State Teaching Service Commission, Dr Akin Adegboye, has called on teachers to co-operate with the government on the on-going re-articulation of secondary schools.
Adegboye made the call in Akure at a meeting with principals and vice- principals of schools on how the policy would improve the management of secondary schools for educational enhancement.
“Re-articulation simply means the merger of the erstwhile junior and senior secondary schools into one with one principal and one administrator, for better management,’’ he explained.
Adegboye said the arrangement would provide opportunity for addressing the imbalance in appointments and grading of staff in the commission.
He said the arrangement would also make the commission to be effective in ranking personnel by seniority and schools by population.
“This is a new dawn in the education system in the state and we are optimistic that the policy would make a great impact in the life of our children and the sector as a whole,’’ Adegboye said.
Osun
National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Osun has trained more than 5,000 youths for its Rural Employment Agricultural Scheme.
Mr Isaac Odebiyi, the directorate’s Acting Coordinator in the state, told newsmen on Tuesday in Osogbo that the youth underwent training at the centre established in Osogbo in 2009.
He explained that the centre focused on arable and livestock farming, and added that the trainees were attached to relevant establishments for a period of three months “to sharpen their knowledge”.
Odebiyi further said that the participants were exposed to the practical aspects of rabbit rearing, poultry, fishery, bee-keeping and cultivation of cassava and plantain, among others.
Sokoto
PDP chieftain Muktari Mapia has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency against the high level of insecurity threatening nation’s corporate existence.
Mapia, who is the party’s deputy treasurer, told newsmen in Sokoto that the Federal Government must be resolute in protecting lives and property of the citizenry through effective security network.
He added that the kidnapping and rising bombings in some parts of the country needed government urgent attention.
He also called on Nigerians to rise up and defend the nation’s hard-earned democracy by exposing the people behind the planting of bombs in the country.
Mapia also called for active participation of stakeholders in promoting security in the country.
Zamfara
Zamfara State Government has approved the immediate release of N14 million for the payment of one year salary arrears to workers of Gusau Hotels, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Aminu Dankwangila, said.
The Commissioner told newsmen in Gusau that the government was touched by the plight of the workers who were not paid salaries and other entitlements for twelve months.
He said the salary arrears accrued during the tenure of the previous administration and assured them that the current administration would live up to its responsibilities to the workers and the people of the state.
In this respect, the government, he stated, had conducted a census of the hotel workers, as part of its plans to rejuvenate the hotel to commence full services.
The commissioner charged the workers to reciprocate the gesture by dedicating themselves to their duties and ensuring that all revenue generated from the hotel were lodged into government coffers.
Nation
PTAD Reiterates Commitment To Pensioners’ Service Delivery
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.
Nation
CAS Honours Officer For Placing NAF On International Spotlight
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.
Nation
Healthcare Reforms: NHIA Advocates Private Sector Involvement
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).
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