Niger Delta
Diri Task Medical Institutions On Brain Drain … As TETFUND Team Visits Bayelsa
The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has called on health institutions in Nigeria to look into modern trends in medical science such as biomedical engineering and emergency medicine as a means of stemming brain drain in the health sector.
He made the call on Thursday when the Ministerial Monitoring Committee of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) High+Impact Intervention in Medical Sciences paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa.
Represented by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Governor described the subsisting medical practice in the country as still very traditional, saying that the country can achieve better healthcare delivery with the right political will and commitment from all relevant stakeholders.
He noted that injecting biomedical engineering and emergency medicine into medical institutions and improving medical infrastructure would dissuade many highly qualified medical professionals from leaving the country in search of greener pastures elsewhere.
Underscoring the importance of health and education, Governor Diri said his administration would not relent in injecting more resources into the two sectors with a view to improving the living standards of the people.
While expressing gratitude to the Minister of Education, and the Executive Secretary of the TETFUND for its intervention project at the Bayelsa Medical University (BMU), he assured the agency and other stakeholders of the state’s readiness for collaboration to improve infrastructure across all tertiary institutions in the state.
“We are quite excited and we extend our appreciation and gratitude to the Minister of Education, and the Executive Secretary of the TETFUND for looking towards our direction.
“We have been looking for partnerships such as this to enable us do better. We are happy you are focused on an area we have a challenge. And I think that challenge is both self-imposed and exacerbated by greed in our country. But we are happy with what you are doing to retain health manpower in the country.
“Again, I think we should start looking at modern trends in medicine. In my opinion, we are still very traditional in our medical practice. There are new areas in medicine like biomedical engineering, which is an area we really need to look at.
“We’ve CT Scan, MRI and the rest of them, yet we don’t have the biomedical engineers needed to fix these equipment, we will not achieve the desired progress in our health sector.
“Then, we also have emergency medicine. If we inject these two areas into our current practice, it will give us the latitude to take care of a lot of people who would be swallowed up by the offering we will be giving”, Diri stated.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the TETFUND Ministerial Monitoring team to the state, Professor Saad Ahmed, said the special high-impact project for the revitalization of medical schools was initiated by the Federal Government as part of efforts to address the steady emigration of health workers from the country.
Ahmed, who is the Chief Medical Director at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, explained that one of the strategies to stem the brain drain in the health sector was to increase the production of the needed manpower, adding that funds had been allocated to 18 medical schools across the country for that purpose..
He further explained that the funds were meant to provide infrastructure and equipment with special focus on medicine, dentistry, nursing sciences, and pharmacy, assuring that a separate fund would soon be made available for hostel accommodation.
Other members of the TETFUND team were the Director of Physical Infrastructure Department, Mr. Y.M. Ashuru, and the Deputy Director, Dr. Yusuf Gamawa, accompanied by the Vice Chancellor, Bayelsa Medical University, (BMU), Professor Dimie Ogoina, and top management team of the institution.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has said his administration will continue to collaborate with the navy for effective protection of the waterways.
Otu stated this when the Commandant, Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Victory, Commodore Shuaib Ahmed, visited him in Calabar.
The Governor described the visit as critical to consolidating the partnership between Cross River State and the navy.
“Peace and stability remain non-negotiable prerequisites for the progress of the state.
“So, this visit reaffirms our shared resolve to keep the state safe and secured through sustained collaboration,” he said.
Otu stated that security remained the foundation for meaningful development in every society.
“No society prospers in the midst of insecurity. As a state, our development vision depends on peace, order and collective vigilance,” he said.
The Governor commended the Navy for the level of professionalism being exuded by its personnel in the discharge of their duties.
He said the Navy’s efforts had hugely boosted investor confidence and strengthened the state’s economic environment.
The Governor assured the Navy of the state government’s continued support towards enhanced operation.
Earlier, Ahmed explained that the visit followed the military tradition of familiarizing with authorities upon assumption of duties.
He stated that it was crucial to align naval operations with the strategic priorities of the state government.
The naval chief thanked the state government for its support to the force, saying, “your support has helped us immensely in achieving targets”
The Commandant further said there was need to strengthen infrastructure and communication systems in order to address evolving security challenges.
“Operationalising key naval facilities will improve our capacity to tackle maritime crimes.
“The Navy is committed to supporting the state in ensuring the safety and security of the waterways.
“We shall continue to promote peace while enabling the residents to carry out their lawful activities without fear,” he said.
The Agbura Community of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, has again lauded the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, and the Managing-Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, over infrastructure projects executed in the community.
Speaking with newsmen midweek in Yenagoa, its Chairman, Community Development Committee, Mr. Tribunal Egba, hailed the Governor for the successful completion of the abandoned Oxbow lake-Agbura Road project and others within the Community.
He also eulogized the NDDC MD for the construction of new lodge in the community for serving Corps members as well as plans to execute other projects.
Mr. Egba added that the completion of the Oxbow Lake-Agbura Road has given the community facelift, while also pleading with the government and the interventionist agency to award shore protection contract in the community to save it from the perennial floodings experienced in the fast urbanizing town.
Similarly, the community’s leadership has given assurances that it will continue to give priority to development and security of lives and property.
The CDC helmsman promised to strengthen the existing community vigilante group, while also stressing that the age-long synergy between the community and security agencies would be improved upon to get rid of crime and criminalities in the area.
“As a community, we’re so thankful to Governor Diri for constructing the abandoned Oxbow Lake-Agbura Road project. We’re also glad with the level of infrastructural development ongoing in other parts of the state, courtesy of the Diri-led administration.
“We also like to laud the MD/CEO, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku for the construction of a befitting Corpers lodge for Corps members serving in this community.
“Our priority as a community now is to protect these infrastructure projects. We’ll continue to work in synergy with all security agencies to make sure there’s peace and development”, the CDC leadership said.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Delta State Government has expressed deep sadness over the sudden death of Mr. Sunny Kotor, Senior Special Assistant on Protocol to the State Government.
Kotor, a renowned Master of Ceremony at state functions, reportedly slumped and passed away last Friday.
In a statement signed by the Delta State Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, in Warri on Saturday, his passing was described as “a profound loss; not only to his family, but to the Government and people of Delta State who benefited immensely from his professionalism, composure, and unmistakable presence at official engagements.
“He brought dignity, structure, and excellence to every function he handled, leaving behind a standard that will be difficult to forget,” the statement added.
The Commissioner noted that “every passing is indeed a sobering reminder of how fragile and fleeting life can be,” extending heartfelt condolences to Kotor’s family, colleagues, and all who had the privilege of working with him.
The statement prayed that God would grant them the strength to bear the irreparable loss.
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