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NMA Strike Paralyses Activities In Rivers Hospitals …Even As RSG Appeals To Doctors

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12 years ago

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L-R: New Permanent Secretaries: Mr Abubakar Magaji, Mr Mohammed Bukar, Mr Saheed Yemi and Mr Mohammed Abbas, taking their oath of office in Abuja last Wednesday. Photo: NAN

L-R: New Permanent Secretaries: Mr Abubakar Magaji, Mr Mohammed Bukar, Mr Saheed Yemi and Mr Mohammed Abbas, taking their oath of office in Abuja last Wednesday. Photo: NAN

As doctors in Rivers State public hospitals under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) embark on a five-day warning strike in strict compliance with its National Executive Council (NEC) directive, activities in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) Choba and Government owned hospitals across the state have been paralysed.

Members of the Association have embarked on phased warning strike over the Federal Government’s non-implementation of a mutual agreement reached with the Association’s Leadership.

The Tide Correspondent who went round the public hospitals discovered that patients were left abandoned on their sickbeds without any medical attention by the doctors.

At the UPTH Choba out- patients who came for medical attention were seen frustrated in front of the hospital without any possible medical assistance.

Also in the various wards, it was lamentation by some patients who were left unattended to since Wednesday by any medical doctor.

Mr. Chukwu Ogbonda an admitted patient told The Tide that the Federal Government should meet the demands of the doctors for them to attend to patients.

He said some patients had left the UPTH for private clinics, but lamented that for those who have no money for private clinics they have decided to remain till the warning strike becomes called off.

At the State-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) patients in their large numbers were seated outside the doctors’ offices yet no doctor came to attend to the large crow of patients.

The Tide investigation revealed that the worst effected by the warning strike were the pregnant women who came for routine check up without seeing any doctor.

Nurses who pleaded anonymity at the BMSH said they received five emergency cases yesterday but such emergency patients were referred to private clinics since there were no doctors to attend to such emergency cases.

They said the warning strike has affected medical services to members of the public in the hospital.

Speaking to The Tide the Nigerian Medical Association State Chairman, Dr. Mina Kurubo said members of NMA in Public hospitals in the State were only obeying lawful directive, of the Association’s National body.

Kurubo said the directive was to the effect that “all doctors with Government-owned hospitals should with draw their services for the 5-day warning strike”.

He said the state branch of NMA has fully complied with that  directive.

Kurubo disclosed that the State Government has made passionate appeal to the Association to resume duty in the interest of the public.

He said the leadership of the Association will look into the state government’s appeal.

The NMA has embarked on this 5-day warning strike to protest failure of Federal Government to implement a mutual agreement to meet the demands of the Association for improved welfare and other emoluments.

The strike will be called off after five days and NMA is expected to continue the strike fter the yuletide season in the second phase barring any progress on the part of the parties – Fderal government and NMA.

 

Philip Okparaji

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Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members  In Brass Water

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways
The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and  members of his church were in a programme.
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?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet  to be recovered
as search party are still ongoing.
Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report,  our Correspondent gathered  that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.
The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit
The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s  on the sad accident
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Rivers State Council of  Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.
Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt,  recently.
Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.
He noted that  the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.
According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.
He also  informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.
“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.
Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.
The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.
He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.
The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.
He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.
Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.
By: King Onunwor
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FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

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2 weeks ago

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May 13, 2026

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The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.
 Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.
“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.
The minister noted  the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.
According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.
Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.
He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.
“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.
He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.
“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.
Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.
“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.
“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.
She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.
Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).
“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.
“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.
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