Category: News

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has commenced a nationwide seven-day warning strike over abduction of medical doctors by kidnappers.

NARD President, Dr Dele Abdullahi, who said on Sunday that the strike will begin Monday, August 26, 2024 by 12am, added that the decision was taken during the Emergency National Executive Council meeting.

He said: “The strike is commencing by midnight today. It’s for seven days, it’s a warning strike, and it’s total.

“The strike is commencing by midnight today. It’s for seven days, it’s a warning strike, and it’s total”.

The strike is in response to the abduction of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna.

Popoola was abducted on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew.

While her husband was released in March, Popoola and nephew remain in captivity 8 months after.

Nation/Pacesetter

The Enugu State Government has announced its intention to revamp the existing infrastructural facilities to give the Enugu State College of Health Technology in Oji River a face-lift and also scale-up institution to a technology-savvy citadel of learning.

The government made this known during a meeting with the management, staff, and students of the institution at the Enugu State Government House at the weekend, stressing its commitment to ensuring quality health service delivery in the state.

The government, which made this known through the Special Adviser on Health Matters, Dr. Yomi Jaye, also asked the students of the institution to go back to school and continue with their academic calendar, as all those involved in the recent breach of security in the school’s neighborhood had been rounded up and now facing the law.

The governor equally gave the college management a two-week ultimatum to develop a workplan, which the government would work on to ensure that the school functions at its optimum level.

Briefing Government House correspondents after the meeting, Dr. Jaye said, “We interacted with the management, staff and students of the Enugu State College of Health Technology, Orji River, to come up with a strategic plan to revamp the college and restore its lost glory. His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah, has expressed his willingness not only to revamp the school, but to upscale it to a technology-savvy teaching community.

“As you can see, the government is bullish about building Type-2 Healthcare Centre in each of the 260 wards and this college will produce some of the qualified workers that will deliver quality healthcare services to Ndi Enugu.

“We appeal to the parents and guardians to allow the students to go back to school and resume their academic activities as more security personnel have been deployed to make sure that both Oji River and its neighbouring communities are properly secured.

“It is also important to inform you that those who perpetrated the security breach have since been arrested and the victims, which included one student, also freed,” he maintained.

Also speaking, the Provost of the College, Dr. Lazarus Ezugwu, expressed his happiness over the state government’s move to revamp the institution, saying he was optimistic that the glory of the institution would be restored in no distant time.

When commending Governor Peter Mbah and the security agencies for their swift response to the recent security breach at the College, he also confirmed that security had been strengthened around the institution and Oji River in general.

“The meeting is such a commendable one. It goes a long way in telling us the type of visionary leader we have in the state. To be sincere, the total overhaul that will be done in the college is going to be enormous. What is coming to the college cannot be imagined because the governor has shown both special interest and political will. This is what we have been yearning for, for so many years,” Dr. Ezugwu stated.

The Enugu State Government has announced that the administration has commenced payment of pensions to local government retirees in the state, even as the pension verification authority said it uncovered 2640 ghost and deceased pensioners still on the payroll.

Announcing the development on Sunday in Enugu, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia, said the payment was in line with the promise of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration to clear outstanding pensions and gratuities inherited by the administration.

He stated that over 7000 local government pensioners had since received payments following the governor’s approval of the recommendations of the Local Government Pensioners Biometric Verification Committee which conducted the verification exercise.

“Recall that His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, had earlier promised that his administration was poised to eradicate poverty in the state by clearing inherited backlog of pensions and other liabilities, and also keep up with its current fiscal responsibility to the citizens, among other measures. This will improve our people’s standard of living, raise purchasing power and promote strong and sustainable economic growth in the state,” the SSG said.

He added that a total of 7109 local government pensioners received monthly payments of close to half a billion naira in July, including 989 newly captured entrants who retired between April 2022 and April 2024 but were not accommodated in the pension scheme.

The SSG, who frowned at the level of fraud in the pensions system, said the record provided by the Local Government Pensions Board indicated that the state had been paying over 8760 local government retirees as of April 2024 against the 7109 verified pensioners.

Restating the state’s commitment to clear all arrears, Prof Onyia stressed that the payment mode adopted by the state would guarantee that backlogs were phased out within the timeline set out by the government.

“This administration will continue to support our citizens, particularly our senior citizens who dedicated their time and energy serving the state. We will soon phase out all arrears inherited by the administration.

“We are reforming the pensions system through strong institutional policies that would make it difficult for corrupt elements to find their way into the scheme. We have been able to digitalize the institution with measures that would make every transaction and payment transparent, accountable and traceable,” he added.

The Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum (CISF) has called the Tinubu-led administration’s non-inclusion of any higher institution in the Southeast as a beneficiary in the NELFUND Student loan a joke taken too far.

Reacting to the development in a statement made available to PACESETTER in Enugu, the leader of the Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum, Chukwuma Okenwa wondered how students from every other geopolitical region in the country made it to the first batch of disbursement except their counterparts in the South East.

“This is not how to manage a diverse and multicultural society like Nigeria. What impression does Mr. President want Nigerian students schooling in the Southeast to have about their place in the scheme of things?”, Okenwa queried.

“The Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum (CISF) also wish to respond to the claims by the NELFUND Spokesperson Nasir Ayitogo said that “there is no consideration of geopolitical zones in the disbursement.”

“The CISF notes with curiosity why, by chance, the Southeast region that has long complained of marginalisation is the only region ‘unintentionally’ excluded from this first batch of interventions. This cannot be a coincidence but simply a case of negligence.

“The claim by NELFUND about the late compliance with verification by institutions in the Southeast is also unfounded. Provided that at least one institution in the Southeast had complied before the recent release of the list by beneficiaries, it is enough to coopt the institution in the first batch to demonstrate FG’s commitment to the Federal Character principle.

“The Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum(CISF) hereby calls on President Tinubu to recall that list and, as a matter of urgency, order the inclusion of three to four institutions from the Southeast. It should be noted that Igbos are equal stakeholders in the Nigerian project and must be respected as such”, the statement read.

Recall that Tertiary institutions in the South-East were left out of the list of beneficiary schools in the first phase of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) disbursement.

According to the circular released by NELFUND, more than N2.9 billion has been approved and disbursed in loans for the payment of tuition fees for more than 27,000 students in 19 higher institutions in Nigeria.

However, none of the 19 institutions is from the South-Eastern part of the country, while the other five geopolitical zones have at least one institution on the list.

When contacted about the absence of South-East institutions on the list, the fund’s spokesperson, Nasir Ayitogo, told Peoples Gazette, an online newspaper, that the recent disbursement of funds was not based on geopolitical zone consideration.

“There is no consideration of geopolitical zones in disbursement,” Mr Ayitogo said.

He noted that only institutions that have responded to NELFUND verification lists sent to eligible institutions across the country are being credited.

“NELFUND sent a verification list to every institution eligible for disbursement. Only institutions that have responded are being paid. We are yet to get any response from the institutions from the  South-East.”

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti says he will continue to deliver on his mandate of securing the State and called on all Abians to join hands to boost security in the state.

Governor Otti stated this while declaring open the Renewed Hope Agenda, a Citizen’s Town hall Engagement on strengthening Community policing in Nigeria held at the International Conference Centre, Umiahia.

Speaking at the town hall meeting with the theme: “Community policing, Building a Safer State Together”, Dr. Otti underscored the importance of security.

According to him, security remains on the agenda of his administration, hence the setting up of joint security taskforce codenamed “Operation Crush” to tackle insecurity and all forms of criminality in the state.

“On assumption of office in May last year, I announced that security of lives and property shall be the number one priority of the State government as stipulated in the constitution.

“We made good our promise a few weeks later by setting up a joint task force code named “operation crush” and gave them a very simple mandate to make Abia State a safe place for law abiding citizens and a very uncomfortable territory for criminals”, the Governor explained.

He highlighted that the meeting which presents an opportunity for a robust engagement will reawaken citizens on their responsibilities to prevent crime by assisting the law enforcement agencies.

In her remarks, the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stated that the meeting aims at transforming the Nigerian Police Force into a world-class institution suited for the 21st century.

She added that the goal is to create a Police Force that is responsive, intelligence-driven, community- oriented, and technologically advanced, while also excelling in maintaining public safety, upholding the rule of law, and fostering trust through transparent and accountable practices. She described the renewed hope police policy and agenda as a significant shift in policing in Nigeria designed to catalyze grassroot understanding and foster collaboration adding that the collective goal is to create a world class police force.

In her goodwill message, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha described the town hall meeting as apt as it will provide ndi Abia the opportunity to get first hand information in Community policing and appreciate Governor Otti for prioritizing security in every part of the state.

The event which featured the presentation of security award to the Governor and panel interactive session was attended by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, the Chairman committee on Security, Climate change and Special intervention, Chief Sam Onuigbo, Members of the State Executive Council, the State Commissioner of Police Cp Kenechukwu Onwuemelie and other security and service Chiefs, the Chairman Abia State council of traditional Rulers HRM. Eze Linus Nto Mbah, Chairman of Abia State PCRC Chief Iheanyi Igboanulam and a host of others.

“Release of 20 medical students and others. We confirm the release of our brothers and sisters and some other Nigerians who have been in captivity on Friday 23rd August 2024 in Ntunkon forest, Benue State. Without any ransom paid. Contrary to some tweets and unconfirmed stories that some money was paid, no kobo was paid to release them. They were actually rescued tactically and professionally. We commend the security agencies, locals, and ONSA for their commitment and resilience. Thanks to you all. More details soon.”