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Inadequate Manpower Rendering PHC’s Ineffective- Stakeholders

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A group photograph after the workshop

 

Health stakeholders have advocated generation of employment for Primary Health Centres (PHCs) within the community to address shortages of manpower in rural areas.

The stakeholders also call for financially effective local government administration for functional Primary Health Centres.

These were part of resolution at a town hall meeting organized by Fridabs Solacebase Communications in Collaboration with Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism with the support of MacArthur Foundation held in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, recently.

Speaking at the meeting, Executive Director, Fridabs Solacebase Communications, Abdullateef Abubakar Jos, said a major challenge facing functional Primary Health Centres at rural areas is inadequate manpower as most health care workers detest rural posting.

KUST, Al-Istiqama University Partner to Strengthen Linkages, Bridge Manpower Gap

Abdullateef Jos said the essence of the town hall meeting was to fashion out ways to address challenges facing effective and qualitative healthcare at the grass root.

 

‘’Our investigative reportage in some north western and north central states of the country have revealed some inadequacies militating against effective Primary Health Centre to include non- release of budgetary allocations, misappropriation of funds where available, inadequate drugs and lack of skilled manpower among others,”Abdullateef Jos noted.

 

An attendees at the meeting, Mr. Lawal Olarewaju, of Budgit, noted that for effective PHC, there is the need to ensure that local government administration are made to function by various state governments.

 

In his presentation titled , ‘’ Improving Access to quality Health Care at Community level, Prof. Gordon Kayode Osagbemi of Community Medicine, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) identifies poor service delivery, policy gaps, inconsistency and discontinuing in policy and implementation, poorly remunerated and motivated staff and neglected infrastructure as problems of PHC implementation.

Prof. Osagbemi said the problems are not insurmountable with a strong political will, community participation, accountability, media support in sensitization and investigative reportage and the use of change agents.

On her part , the Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Nusirat Elelu said the agency had just one nurse to itself as of 2019 and 44 presently after the recent engagement of 43 new nurses.

 

“When the Primary Health Care Development Agency was established as an organ of the state, staff were moved as legacy staff from the Ministry of Health in the defunct department of primary health into the agency.

“But only one nurse was approved along and for over 10 years, no recruitment had taken place.

 

“When we came in and did our assessment, made a case to the governor that we had just one nurse in the whole Agency and he approved the recruitment of 50 nurses for the state primary healthcare agency which was unprecedented.

 

“So far, 43 of them have assumed duties after their three months training at the UITH and General Hospital Ilorin, before we redeployed them to different primary healthcare centres across the state in areas where they had very serious human resource gap.”

 

Solacebase reports that the town hall meeting with the theme: Rethinking Rural Healthcare, Building A Safer Community had attendees that include, academia, health workers, Civil Society Organizations, Physically challenged persons, media and policy implementers from across the 16 local government of the state.

Meanwhile , a campus outreach was conducted by Fridabs Solacebase Communications at the Kwara State College of Nursing and Midwifery on the need for the students to embrace rural posting on the completion of their training so as to improve health care delivery at grass root.

Addressing the students , most of them who are in their final year, Prof. Gordon Kayode Osagbemi emphasized for them to live with the spirits and motto of the nursing profession,’’ Caring with passion’’, should be extended to serve in any community to enhance access to health care.

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Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin Distributes 1000 Motorcycles to Kano Police

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Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has distributed 1,000 operational motorcycles to the Kano State Police Command, in a move aimed at enhancing the mobility and operational capacity of the police force. The distribution ceremony, held in Kano, was attended by various dignitaries and stakeholders.

In his speech, Jibrin expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian police for their efforts in maintaining peace in Kano. “I am thanking the Nigerian police Kano command for bringing peace to reign in Kano,” he said. He acknowledged the role of traditional rulers in supporting the police and emphasized the importance of their contributions to the state’s security.

Jibrin highlighted the significance of the motorcycles in improving the efficiency of the police force. “My intention is to give a motorcycle to every policeman,” he stated, underscoring his commitment to equipping the police with the necessary tools to perform their duties effectively.

Muktara Gashash, Chairman of the Eminent Persons Forum, commended Jibrin for his generous gesture. “This initiative will greatly enhance the operational capabilities of the Kano police,” Gashash remarked, praising the Deputy Senate President’s dedication to supporting law enforcement.

Kano State Commissioner of Police, Salman Dogo Garba, also spoke at the event, urging his fellow officers to utilize the motorcycles to enhance their service delivery. “As we embrace this new chapter of enhanced mobility and operational capacity, I urge my fellow police officers to embrace these motorcycles as tools of service excellence,” Garba said. He emphasized the importance of professionalism, integrity, and accountability in their duties.

Garba further encouraged the police officers to use the motorcycles to strengthen their relationships with the communities they serve. “Let us leverage this significant investment to forge even stronger bonds with the communities we serve, fostering trust, cooperation, and mutual respect,” he added.

The distribution of the motorcycles is expected to significantly improve the response time and effectiveness of the Kano State Police Command, contributing to the overall safety and security of the state.

 

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President Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation for Lt. General Oluyede as Chief of Army Staff

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President Bola Tinubu on Friday wrote the Senate, seeking confirmation of Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede’s appointment as the substantive Chief of Army Staff.

“In his letter sent today, President Tinubu seeks Oluyede’s confirmation in accordance with the provision of Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed in a statement.

The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu writes Senate, seeks confirmation of Lt. General Oluyede as Chief of Army Staff.’

Tinubu appointed Oluyede as the Acting Chief of Army Staff on October 30 following the illness of Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

General Lagbaja, however, died on November 5.

Onanuga said, “President Tinubu is confident about the leadership qualities, professional integrity, and experience of Lt. General Oluyede to lead and inspire the army to ensure national security and stability.”

Before he was appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff, Oluyede, a member of the 39th Regular Course, like his predecessor, served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.

 

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Lawyer Alleges Tenure Elongation Plot in Letter to Governor Yusuf

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Barrister Mustapha I. Zubair, a prominent lawyer and politically conscious citizen of Kano State, has written a letter to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, alleging a plot by certain senior civil servants to extend their tenure of service beyond the mandated retirement age. The letter, which expresses deep concern over the issue, highlights the potential implications of such actions on the state’s governance and public trust.

Zubair, a registered voter of Gwale Local Government, begins the letter by expressing gratitude and admiration for Governor Yusuf’s leadership and pro-people policies. “Your exemplary leadership and pro-people policies have continually fostered growth and prosperity, and we, the citizens, are deeply appreciative of your dedication,” Zubair states in the letter.

However, Zubair quickly shifts focus to the matter of tenure elongation, which he describes as a growing concern among the people of Kano State. “It is evidently clear that after the recent posting of permanent secretaries in the state, some top government functionaries who will be due for retirement in December 2024 are now striving day and night to secure tenure elongation only for themselves,” he alleges.

The letter emphasizes the potential negative implications of such actions, suggesting that the attempt to prolong service tenure by a few senior civil servants could undermine the principles of fairness and transparency in the state’s administration. Zubair urges Governor Yusuf to address the issue promptly to maintain public trust and ensure that the state’s governance remains transparent and accountable.

The letter concludes with a plea for Governor Yusuf to take immediate action to prevent any attempts at tenure elongation and to uphold the integrity of the state’s civil service. “We trust in your commitment to justice and fairness, and we believe that you will take the necessary steps to address this issue,” Zubair writes.

The allegations have sparked discussions among political observers and citizens, who are keenly watching how Governor Yusuf will respond to the concerns raised in the letter.

 

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