We Have Mobilized Corp Members, Consultants To Replace Striking Doctors – Health Minister
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire has revealed that the government has mobilized corps members and consultants to manage hospitals as resident doctors continue their strike action.
Speaking on Thursday, Ehanire noted that the government is aware of the impact created by the striking doctors on the health facilities but has deployed replacements to mitigate the impact.
The Minister insisted that it is wrong for the medical doctors to embark on strike given the sensitive nature of their duties and the impact it can have on the citizens.
It would be recalled that the resident doctors on August 2, embarked on strike action, accusing the federal government of failing to implement agreements it had with their union on issues including salaries, hazard allowances, and others.
The strike has made the nation’s health care system vulnerable and close to total collapse but Ehanire said corp members and consultants have been drafted to save the situation pending when the issue will be resolved.
The Minister said; “Although the resident doctors have gone on strike, and as I said before, we are appealing to them not to use this very vulnerable period when the country is facing a war.
“For those of you who have been very keenly following international news, you know the havoc that the Delta variant did in India, and what it has done and it is doing in Indonesia, Ireland, and other countries.
“We have only one or two percent of eligible Nigerians vaccinated. So we are really facing something like a war. When you face a war, that is not the time that soldiers say they are not going to fight.
“We don’t want to see here, what happened in India where they also lost 400,000 lives due to COVID-19 Delta strain, we don’t want that.
“But even then, during this strike, we have mobilized all consultants and youth corpers and all those who render services to ensure they are rendering service, to ensure that the hospital services do not collapse and everybody is doing very well.
“I salute the consultants and youths corpers and all those who are not on strike, who are giving service and also the private sector who are supporting us. The private sector is rising up to the challenge to make sure that health services, one way or the order, are going on and there is not serious distress in the hospitals.”
On the issue of the ‘no work, no pay’ directive issued to the striking doctors by the government, Ehanire said it is not a threat but standard labour practice in such a situation.
“Nobody is threatening anybody with anything. That is a standard thing, that is the International Labour Organisation (ILO) recommendation that if you didn’t work why will you get paid.
“Your salary comes from taxpayers money, so if you didn’t work why should you go and be saying you should be paid because if that is so, you can be encouraged to stay home for up to six months and your salary is running from public funds, from taxpayers money and you have not given the community any service,” he declared.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has disclosed that 29 civilians were rescued, while no fewer than 51 Boko Haram insurgents were arrested in the last two weeks.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Acting Director of Defence Information, Bernard Onyeuko, added that 27 insurgents were killed during various military operations across the country.
He noted that over 1,000 insurgents, including two bomb experts and their family members, have also surrendered to troops of operation Hadin Kai in the North-East.
Onyeuko said the intensity of operations by the military has yielded tremendous results across the North-east and North-west.
He said: “Cumulatively, the operations led to the neutralisation of 27 BHT/ISWAP fighters, arrest of 51 BHT/ISWAP terrorists, three terrorists’ collaborators, as well as recovery of 35 assorted arms. 1,051 round of ammunition, including AK-47 and FN rifles, Dushka anti-aircraft guns, GPMG, PKT guns, 60mm mortar tubes, Makarov pistol and other machine guns, amongst other items were also recovered.
“In addition, 29 abducted civilians were rescued within the period under review. No fewer than 1,000 terrorists and their families, comprising adult females and children surrendered to own troops at different locations in the north-east.
“Notable among them are the notorious BHT bomb expert named Musa Adamu, a.k.a. Mala Musa Abuja, and his deputy, Usman Adamu, a.k.a. Abu Darda. This has in no small measure depleted the Boko Haram fighting force.”
Speaking further, Onyeuko said the troops of operation Hadarin Daji, on July 31, repelled bandits, rescued some kidnapped victims, and recovered arms, ammunition and some livestock in the North-west.
He said that a total of 89 animals, five AK-47 rifles, three rounds of 9mm ball, and 48 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition were recovered, while four kidnap victims were rescued.
He added that two “notorious cattle rustlers named Umar from Niger Republic and Mai Hatsi Ibrahim from Gada in Sokoto state”, and four other suspected bandits and drug peddlers were apprehended.
According to him, the air component destroyed bandits’ structures, including the residence of one of their alleged leaders, identified as Halilu Tubali.
The DHQ spokesman added that the air strikes, in conjunction with operations by ground troops, resulted in the death of “no fewer than 123 armed bandits and destruction of their logistics facilities”.
Mrs Hadiza Shagari, wife of Former Nigerian leader, Shehu Shagari is dead.
Mrs. Shagari died of COVID-19 complications on Thursday, August 12th, 2021. Below is a statement issued on behalf of the family by her Grandson, Bello;
“We regret to announce the demise of our beloved mother, Hajiya Hadiza Shehu Shagari, the wife of H.E late President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR (Turakin Sokoto).
“We lost her in the early hours of today, 12th August 2021, at about 3:00 am, after battling Covid-19 at the Gwagwalada Isolation Center in Abuja.
“Hajiya Hadiza Shehu Shagari was 80 years old. Her Jana’iza (Funeral Prayer) will take place today, at 4:00pm, immediately after Asr prayer, at the National Mosque, Abuja.”
Mrs. Shagari served as the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the 1st of October 1979 – 31st December, 1983.
Mrs Hadiza Shagari got married to Shehu Shagari who was then a visiting teacher in Sokoto province and a member of the Federal Scholarship Board in the year 1957. Along with his two other wives, she became the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when her husband assumed office as President in October 1979.
Drama As cow invades NYSC orientation camp In Ogun
There was a mild drama during the parade competition at the NYSC orientation camp in Ogun State on Wednesday after a marauding cow invaded the parade ground.
It was gathered that the scenario took place on Wednesday afternoon around 2:15 pm.
In the video, immediately the runaway cow invaded the field, the Corpers began to run for their dear lives.
In the video seen by Newsflash Nigeria, hundreds of NYSC Corpers were seen doing their parade and in no time, a big cow invaded and disrupted the parade.
Fortunately, the security officials and strong NYSC male Corpers chased, caught and used a rope to pin the cow down.
Recently, a cow running on Third Mainland Bridge in Victoria Highland in Lagos. The cow which was heading in the same direction as the vehicles on the bridge could be seen maintaining a lane through the duration.
Watch a video showing the incident below;
Parade disrupted as cow invades Ogun NYSC orientation camp
Reacting, a Facebook user, Esther Chidimma Ibe said, “This only happens in a country where cows are valued more than human lives.”
According to Emma Nwanyanwu, “In Buhari’s Nigeria: Cows are sacred, the government spent years discussing open grazing, RUGA, grazing routes, herdsmen and cattle colony.
“Is it an ordinary NYSC camp you are complaining about? At least you are alive to see the cow.
“Those in Benue and other states are killed, their crops destroyed for the sacred cows. By the way, Ogun voted APC in 2015 and 2019, they should be used to cows by now.”
Jessica Orlunma said, “The moment you understand that these cows now know their rights in this country as first-class citizens of the federal republic of Nigeria, the better you realise they can walk on the road, board a public transport, enter first-class flight and go medical checkup confidently.”
Nnenna Okoli said, “Don’t you know that the cows are the number one and first-class citizens in Nigeria? Na them be the bonafide holders of the Nigerian passport. Their lives are more valued than that of the humans.”
Dick Omah said, “This is one the reasons Rivers State just proposed a bill to ban open grazing. Faster it will be passed into law by the State Assembly.”
One Emmy Osy said, “I witnessed it live, though it was already walking with the owner towards the edge of the bridge along the Adekunle end of the bridge going to the island.”
Nigeria has been listed as the fifth-highest borrower from the World Bank Group and among the 10 highest debt risk exposure globally.
This is contained in a recent report which is the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) financial statement of the International Development Association (IDA), a subsidiary of the World Bank.
Naija News reports that the country’s debt portfolio with the international financial institution currently stands at $11.7 billion (about N4.816 trillion).
According to the report, India is leading with $22bn debt, Bangladesh next with $18.1bn, Pakistan, $16.4bn, Vietnam, $14.1bn, and Nigeria occupies the 5th position with an $11.7bn debt.
African countries next to Nigeria are Ethiopia with $11.2bn, Kenya with $10.2bn, Tanzania with $8.3bn, Ghana with $5.6bn, and Uganda, $4.4bn.
“As of June 30, 2021, the 10 countries with the highest exposures accounted for 66% of IDA’s total exposure,” the World Bank noted.
The report also said $19.5bn loans would be disbursed to Nigeria, which includes $1.46bn loan approved but not yet signed, $6.61bn signed loan commitment, and $11.47bn outstanding loan.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has condemned the reports classifying Nigeria as a high debt risk nation.
This was contained in a statement by the Debt Management Office in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to the DMO, the publications misrepresented the World Bank’s assessment report of the International Development Association audited financial statement for 2021.
Ease of doing business: Speaker Obasa challenges NIPOST on new ideas
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, has promised that the House would collaborate with any organisation that aims to assist the state with the ease of doing business.
Speaker Obasa made this promise on Wednesday when he received a team from the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) led by Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi, its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Post Master-General of the Federation.
“I want to assure you that Lagos is always ready to collaborate with any institution that is willing to work with us for the progress of the state.
“This House of Assembly is ready to work with you. The House is always ready to support with legislations and resolutions to enhance the ease of doing business in the state,” Obasa told the team.
The Speaker expressed optimism that NIPOST will succeed especially with the recent amendment to a law with the result being that the organisation now has the opportunity of a public/private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
“I commend the Senate, particularly the chairman, Committee on Communications, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for the good job done in amending the NIPOST law,” he said while urging the officials to take advantage of amendment to revolutionise the organisation’s mode of operations.
Noting that Nigerians now device various means of getting goods and services to their targets including using commercial bus drivers, the Speaker said he looked forward to that period when people’s interests in NIPOST would be rekindled like it was in the past.
Speaking earlier, Dr. Adewusi, who said he was proud to be associated with Lagos as a result of the successes recorded by state, commended Speaker Obasa and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for playing roles that have assisted the state with its growth and development.
Adewusi, a former commissioner for economic planning in Lagos, however, lamented that internet technology had altered the operational efficiency of the postal services across the world, but added that this had not deterred his team at NIPOST.
“We have started the process of reform which is culminating in the unbundling of the Nigerian Postal Service to now have a property company, a logistics and transport company, and a bank. We have started this process and I believe that by the time I conclude my five-year tenure, we would have succeeded,” he said.
Adewusi explained that by virtue of its assignments, NIPOST is supposed to regulate logistics and courier companies and that this include licensing of motorcycles used for such businesses.
He said his organisation needed the support of the House with legislations that would help ease the task before it especially as it relates to registration of dispatch riders, issuance of identity cards and tracking locations.
He also sought the support and collaboration of the House in the area of training arrangements for motorcyclists and the use of the ‘address verification solution’, an idea of NIPOST aimed at tackling insecurity and crime in the country.
Kaduna/NLC face off: Panel Demands Payment To disengaged workers
The payment of all entitlements to the workers disengaged by the Kaduna State government formed the plank of recommendations from the 10-man Bipartite Committee that looked into industrial dispute in the Northwest state.
The panel set up by the Federal Government to resolve the face-off between the Kaduna State government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) submitted its recommended yesterday.
It recommended that the disengaged staff of the Local Government, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Primary Health Care Board and all those not paid, should be paid appropriate benefits.
Also recommended to be paid their due benefits are staff of the Kaduna State Development Company who were disengaged between 2017 and last year.
On July 10, the federal government inaugurated a 10-member committee to resolve the dispute between NLC and Kaduna State Government following the decision of the former to embark on a one-week warning strike.
The protest by the NCL was over alleged anti-Labour practices and sack of its members by the Governor Nasir El-Rufai-led administration.
The Committee, which was chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Peter Tarfa, submitted its interim report yesterday to Labour and Employment Minister Dr. Chris Ngige.
Tarfa said: “There is also need for consultation between the Government and Labour in line with the prescription of the Labour Act and other relevant Labour statutes.
“There is need for mutual respect and confidence building between the social partners, especially on issues of collective bargaining.”
He further stressed the need to bridge the communication gap between the government and union leaders, which the panel observed triggered strike.”
In terms of victimisation, tarfa said his committee recommended the re-issuance of letters to to override all the queries answered by nurses, who participated in the strike.
The Labour minister said the dispute could have been worse but for federal intervention, recalling that there has been no love lost between the Kaduna government and the NLC since the sack of teachers in 2017.
Ngige said: “It is the same matter we are handling. It is crystallising. In that one, teachers without requisite qualification were teaching children. We said no. We agreed on what should be done and it was done.
“I advised labour to tell their members to get the required qualification to ensure quality education and it was done. In this case, it was redundancy.”
He described the submission of the report as a new dawn and a very important landmark in the history of his ministry.
The minister said the need to halt the government/Labour crisis to prevent possible conflagration and spread into other Northwest states informed the federal intervention.
Ngige said: “Just like President Buhari said, Kaduna is the home of retired Generals, former Ministers, Police Chiefs, retired Permanent Secretaries and who is who in old Northern Region, just like Enugu is for the old Eastern Region and Ibadan for the Western Region.
“The President said we should do everything to arrest the situation in Kaduna. It has not been easy for me and the Permanent Secretary.
“We were on our phones talking to the NLC and Kaduna State Government. We are happy that it has been brought under control. It could have been worse.”
Ngige thanked members of the committee, pointing out that it would have been made a bipartite committee of the state and the NLC, but the members decided to make permanent secretary the their chairman.
The minister said: “I listened to the report presented by the Chairman. You kept to the original terms of reference you were given during the inauguration of the committee three weeks ago. That helps the work and the employees and their leaders seeing what has been done, will know that there is no victimisation as alleged. You have shown transparency.
“Somebody cannot be working without the necessary certification. Somebody who is not a nurse and is found in a hospital must go.
“People who have disciplinary matters of fraud and misappropriation of funds, you have the right to disengage them under the omnibus of redundancy.
“If as government, you are spending all your money on personnel, it does not make sense. That money is for everybody in the state. It is for social, educational and capital infrastructure. I am satisfied.”
NLC Deputy President and panel’s Co-Deputy Chairman Najeem Usman Yasin thanked Ngige and Tarfa, expressing the hope for implementation of the recommendations.
Secretary to the Kaduna State Government Balarabe Abbas Lawal also thanked the minister for his intervention, reassuring that they came with the sole aim of finding a lasting peace in the state.
12 Years after Fawehinmi’s Death, his Son, Mohammed Dies of Covid-19
Twelve years after a legal luminary of global reckoning, Chief Gani Fawehinmi passed, his scion, Mohammed, died last night of complications from Covid-19.
Mohammed reportedly died at a private hospital yesterday and the Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has confirmed the news.
Although some other sources claimed Mohammed died of an undisclosed ailment at a private hospital in Lagos, it was however confirmed he died of complications arising from Covid-19.
This news medium also has reasons to believe he might have died at a government facility in Lagos State.
But the family was yet to make a statement on his death as at the time of filing this report.
A reliable source at a government health facility, who confirmed he died of Covid-19 complications, told THISDAY that, “We have been managing him since morning, but unfortunately, he passed on. Yes, he died of Covid-19,” suggesting he died at a government hospital.
Keyamo, though confirmed the news without stating the cause and where he died, hadworked with the late Mohammed at the Fawehinmi chambers for many years.
In a statement, the junior minister lamented: “My brother, friend and son of my late boss, Mohammed Fawehinmi, is gone. I am speechless and heartbroken. I just spoke with the eldest daughter, Basirat and she confirmed it,” said Keyamo.
According to him, “Mohammed was energetic and very intellectually alert, despite his mishap. He kept the flame of his father burning. We will sorely miss him.”
Mohammed lost his ability to walk after a terrible auto accident in 2003. A graduate of Business Administration at the University of Lagos, before he ventured into law practice, he obtained an LLB degree from the University of Buckingham, England, and was called to Nigerian Bar in 1998. He has over 20 years of experience in the practice of law.
Until his death, he was the Head of Gani Fawehinmi’s Chambers, Director, Nigerian Law Publications Limited, Director, Books Industries Nigeria Limited and Director, Gani Fawehinmi Library & Gallery Limited.
Mohammed once described growing up under his father as a military camp. “It was like growing up in a military camp. He gave the order, and you must comply. You failed to do so and you got thoroughly punished. I particularly have been displaced with any sort of rod that you can imagine.
“Until the anger in him calmed, he would not stop punishing you. The only time you would offend my father and he let you walk away was whenever he sighted his mother. No matter your offence, he would not punish you once she was there. Being the first child, my father made sure he disciplined me the most.”
Mohammed’s greatest ambition was to be an army officer, a move that his father rejected.
“I wanted to become an army general. I had three uncles in the army. Two of them were captains while one was a major. I loved the uniform and personality of military men, being like them was just what I wanted for myself.
“When I was 14, we were given forms in school for the Nigerian Defence Academy. I hurriedly filled mine and took it to my father for him to sign; I never knew I had courted trouble. Till he died, I don’t think he had ever been that angry. He said I wanted to go and join the people that were throwing him in jail all the time. He said I wanted to join those,who wanted to kill him. He said it was better he killed me before I joined his enemies.
“It took four senior lawyers to hold him down that day. One of them was OAR Ogunde, a senior advocate, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, Mike Philips and one other person. I had to run away from the scene as fast as I could and managed to jump the fence before tearing the form. I thought he had forgotten about everything but I was surprised when he woke me up with the cane at about 2:30 am the next morning. He dealt with me thoroughly that day.
“Later in life, I wanted to become a business administrator even though the desire to become a military man never left me. When I went to England to study law after my first degree in Business Administration from the University of Lagos, I met a military general, who further aroused my interest in the profession.
“But immediately after I finished my studies, my father was on my neck to return to Nigeria to attend law school. For a while, that interest waned in me but whenever I come across a military cantonment and I see the way the officers move, I feel like being a part of them,” he said.
His father, Gani Fawehinmi, who was one of Nigeria’s most iconic legal minds, died on September 5, 2009.
In an interview he granted before his death, he said, “I just felt that I shouldn’t bother any woman with my condition. I didn’t want anybody to marry me out of pity. Even though I always have females around me, it is not every woman that can stay with a person with disability of my kind.
“Most of the women I have met in recent times are not the ones that can stay with a man, they are the type who would want to attend parties and keep all sorts of friends instead of looking after me. Of course, a few have come close to what I want but the temperament is nothing to write home about”.
Speaking about the challenge of practicing law while on a wheelchair, Mohammed said: I look at my ordeal as part of life’s ‘buffet’, just like it served my late father on several occasions. I feel I’m in a mini detention centre at the moment, but then, I’m positive that one day, I’ll be free. But I’m glad that I have been able to practice as a trained lawyer despite the tragedy that I’ve encountered in life.”
Meanwhile, a lawyer and rights activist, Dr Kayode Ajulo, has expressed sadness at the death of Mohammed Fawehinmi.
Ajulo described him as a comrade and brother who would be missed.
He said that Mohammed stayed on course until death.Ajulo prayed God to give succour to Mohammed’s family.
Also, The Centre for Human and Socioeconomic Rights, said demise of Mohammed Fawehinmi, was a terrible loss.
National President of the group, Mr. Alex Omotehinse, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while reacting to the death of the lawyer.
Omotehinse said the news was a rude shock.
“The fact remains that among the children of the late legal icon, Mohammed was the only one who identified with us and remained with us, despite the challenges he faced.
“Mohammed stood with us in the struggle to defend the masses.
“Now that he has again dropped the baton, a very big vacuum has been created,” he said.
According to him, the death of Mohammed Fawehinmi, implies that Gani Fawehinmi’s household may be finally missed in the activism circle.
He added: “It is only Mohammed that carried the mantle, despite his health challenges.
“When some of us see him, we believe Gani was still alive, because he was bold, spoke like his father, he was courageous and never looked at his challenges.
The rights activist recalled how civil society groups, alongside Mohammed, attended the burial of late Mr. Yinka Odumakin, another activist, who died recently.
He added that the late younger Fawehinmi, also joined them recently, during a courtesy visit to the residence of another late activist, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma .
Omotehinse said the death was a huge loss and very sad one, praying God to console the late Mohammed’s mother and family.
Chelsea Lifts UEFA Super Cup After Penalty Drama With Villareal
UEFA Champions League winners, Chelsea defeated Villareal, winners of the Europa League on penalties to claim the UEFA Super Cup, on Wednesday night.
Moroccan international, Ziyech had given the Premier League side a first half lead, which was canceled out but Gerrard Moreno on the 73 minute.
Chelsea had the best of chances to kill the game but were kept at bay by their Spanish opponents for the whole of 90 minutes, and even till the end of extra time.
Kepa Arrizabalaga came on in the 119th minute and proved to be the hero of the night as he kept out two spot kicks from going in.
Chelsea won the UEFA Super Cup on 6-5 penalties after Kai Harvetz had missed the club’s first spot kick in the shootout.
The Blues next take on Crystal Palace for the opening league of the 2021/2022 Premier League season on Saturday.
A popular political activist and convener of Concerned Nigerians, Prince Deji Adeyanju, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari and his aides to stay off Twitter.
The former PDP member was reacting to the decision of the Federal Government to lift the ban on the micro-blogging site.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed while briefing newsmen shortly after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.
Mohammed stated that the government negotiation with the micro-blogging platform is at an advanced stage already, saying most of the conditions given to the platform have been accepted.
He revealed that areas still pending include setting up an office and having a Twitter staff of management cadre that will serve as the country representative.
Reacting in a post on Twitter, Deji Adeyanju claimed Buhari and his ‘clueless’ aides are eager to return to Twitter as they are tired of other social media platforms.
In a tweet, Adeyanju wrote: “Buhari is tired of KOO, wants to come back to Twitter urgently which is why they are looking for ways to suspend Twitter ban in Nigeria. We don’t want him and his clueless aides back on this app. KOO is where they belong permanently.”
