The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • Hike in diesel price takes a hit at El-Rufai buses

    Love him or loathe him, Malam Nasir el-Rufai brought some relief to FCT residents before he left office as minister of the territory. El-Rufai, now governor of Kaduna State, introduced what is fondly called the El-Rufai buses. They are cheap, neat and air-conditioned.

    People who could not cope with costly petrol preferred them to their personal vehicles. But there is a problem: the buses are fast disappearing. Why? Diesel used in running them is also becoming too costly.

    The buses were commissioned in 2005 to provide subsidised services to residents of the FCT. Managed by a Transport company called Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO) and the buses are co-owned by some private investors.

    Interestingly, the high capacity buses owned by government are clearly marked while those of the private investors are not so marked, except a few of them belonging to Trade Unions and a few other agencies.

    These buses are usually stationed in different parts of the FCT to ferry passengers to their destination from such places like Gwagwalada, Zuba, Kubwa, Berger, Nyanya, Madalla among others.

    People who live as far as Suleja, Niger State or Nyanya in Nasarawa State but work in the FCT prefer commuting with these buses because of the belief that buses are cheaper and more comfortable.

    Some residents who use these buses told Abuja Review that they choose them because they are highly subsidised and cost them between N50 and N100 to get to their destination depending on the distance while the cabs would take them for at least N200 or N250.

    Asiwaju Williams, a resident of Madalla who patronized the buses told Abuja Review that he prefers using the buses every morning.

    He said, “I come all the way from Madalla in Niger State to Wuse every morning using the ‘El-Rufai’ bus. I prefer these buses because they are usually air-conditioned.

    “There are strict regulations about hawking goods and services, preaching and overcrowding compared to the private owned buses. Their drivers are well-dressed and they operate in a co-ordinated manner.”

    On the other hand, Awodele Oladele, a National Youth Service Corps member resident in Abaji on the border between the FCT and Kogi State, said the buses are usually a big relief considering the high cost of living in the FCT.

    However, the buses have begun to gradually disappear from the road and residents are not finding it funny. Sometimes, the buses are parked at the bus stop without the drivers, while the people wait endlessly.

    A car dealer who identified himself as Okon Chukwuemeka is at a loss as to why several of the buses are parked, leaving the people stranded. Investigation however revealed that this may not be unconnected with the increase in the cost of running them.

    The Head of Marketing and Communications of AUMTCO, Mr. Tunde Akintola attributed this to the increase in the price of diesel and the unchanged bus fare despite the hike.

    “The rise in price of diesel has been an issue of serious concern to the organisation. When we were buying diesel for N 125, we were charging N50 and N100 for the bus fare and now that it is N270 we are still charging at the same price and practically, we are running at a loss,” he said.

    Akintola added that the only option the company had to keep their services running is to cut down on the buses used to convey passengers. He however suggested that the bus fare should be increased in a manner that would be fair to the people and the company.

    Some residents who spoke with the reporter believe that the FCT administration can address the situation by introducing some low profile vehicles to ply some of the routes that the buses cannot ply.

    Damilola Comfort advised that they could delegate low capacity buses within the federal capital such that they could take over the routes ‘Keke-Napep and Okada’ are found and also maintain the buses used for far distance commutation of residents.

    In so doing, it would generate more profit for the organization and provide better safety for Abuja inhabitants by reducing road deaths when ‘Keke-Napep and Okada’ are off the road.

    Also, Ibrahim Wahab said, “The Transport Company should look for a way to have negotiation or make arrangements with oil companies to reduce the price of diesel even as the company re- employs the parked buses found at their location.”

     

  • Council sets up micro-finance bank committee

    The Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Candido has unveiled an 11-man committee on the establishment of a proposed AMAC Micro-Finance Bank, with seven terms of reference and a four weeks deadline to submit its report.

    Candido, while inaugurating the Committee under the chairmanship of Managing Director, AMAC Investment and Property Development Company (IPDC) ltd, Hon. Yakubu Adamu, listed its terms of reference to include looking at the viability or otherwise of the council establishing micro finance bank; and liaising with relevant regulatory body to ascertain the conditions to be met for its establishment.

    Others are: to identify a suitable site for the location of the proposed bank’s head office and other branches; ascertain the share capital of the council and that of the other shareholders/investors; and ascertain the initial capital to be injected in the short term and in the long run; as well as identify other investors that can partner with the council in the venture.

    He added that the committee is to prepare an Executive Bill, stating the entire modus operandi of the proposed bank for presentation to the Legislative Council for enactment in the Bye-Laws on the Establishment of AMAC Micro Finance bank.

    Responding on behalf of the committee, the AMAC-IPDC boss assured that the committee will vigorously follow the terms of reference given to it, and ensure that it churns out a comprehensive report within the time limit given to the committee, so as to enable the council establish and run micro finance bank.

    He said when the Micro-finance bank is established, the people and staff of the council as well as traders will feel the impact, as it will further open up access to soft loans needed to facilitate economic activities within the municipality and FCT at large.

  • Petty traders’ lot on Abuja streets

    Some petty traders who sell along the streets of Wuse zone 6 have narrated their ordeal in the hands of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).

    Some of the traders in the Wuse area of the Abuja Municipal Area Council said they are still selling on the streets despite the authorities stance against it because they give AEPB officials on patrol a token of about N200 daily for them to be allowed to sell on their various spots.

    These traders, who sell roasted yam, roasted corn, fruits and suya at night, disclosed that this has been a daily practice by the task force officials.

    The case of a yam seller who lamented her ordeal in the hands of AEPB officials has been the situation of many traders along the streets for some time now.

    Speaking on the situation, the roasted yam seller who sells on the street during the day revealed that she gives the task force men about N200 twice daily for her to be allowed to sell, adding that she has to do so to keep her business going else the task force officials will seize her goods.

    She narrated her ordeal as on one occasion she helplessly watched as the AEPB men took her goods away because she had no money to give them. She revealed that on a day when there are many task force officials sitting in the patrol van they will all be required to pay N2000 each adding that there is a particular group that does not accept money rather they confiscate their goods “some of them no dey collect money, when we see those ones they come we go just run and we go come back when them pass finish”.

    The suya sellers who set out to do business at the early hours of the evening into the night have not had much luck as well, as the task force men are sure to pay them a visit upon closure from their patrol.

    Speaking on how they convey the money to the officials, a suya seller disclosed that upon seeing the AEPB van one of the sellers will go round to collect the usual money, after which it will be submitted to the task force officials.

    These traders however said that they have no choice but to keep complying with these officials as far as after the settlement they are allowed to sell on their various spots.

    All efforts to speak to officials of the AEPB were futile as none was willing to talk.

  • Vacation and speculations

    Not a few Nigerians were worried and heartbroken that President Muham-madu Buhari could not return to the country as earlier scheduled to resume duties from a medical vacation on February 6.

    The President had left the country for the United Kingdom on January 19 after sending a communication to the National Assembly naming Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as Acting President in his absence.

    Few hours after the President left the country, rumour mongers went viral on the social media claiming that the President was dead.

    While some well-meaning Nigerians have expressed genuine concern for the President’s health, other opposing forces have seen it as opportunity to spread rumours to the detriment of the administration.

    The Acting President, the President’s media handlers, and other top government officials, had hectic time countering the rumours.

    They severally insisted in the past three weeks that the President was alive, well, hale and hearty.

    Apart from urging Nigerians to only pray for Mr. President, some pictures of the President in the United Kingdom receiving visitors few days after he left the country were also released to the media.

    He was first seen in pictures with the Ogun State Governor,  Ibikunle Amosun and his wife in a sitting room in the U. K.

    Later,  another set of pictures were released showing the President and his wife,  Aisha in the same apartment.

    Still not satisfied with the pictures, some Nigerians claimed that the pictures were not recent and must have been taking during the President’s earlier visits to the United Kingdom.

    So this group of Nigerians wanted the President to talk to Nigerians from the United Kingdom in a recorded or live transmission, and not just pictures.

    But the Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, in an interview on CNBC Africa, replied those Nigerians with “The fact that he is a president, he still has his rights. Compelling him to come out and talk will be infringing on his rights.

    “The President will talk if he wishes to, if he doesn’t wish to, nobody will compel him to talk.

    “The truth is that the President is on vacation and he has given a date on which he will return to work,’’ he stated

    But the anxiety and worries over the President’s health however heightened in the land when the President could not return to the country last week Sunday on the eve of the expiration  of resumption date specified in his first letter to the National Assembly for ten days vacation.

    More Nigerians even got worried as the statement announcing the extension of the President’s stay in the U. K for medical tests results did not mention when the President will return to the country.

    Some of them immediately concluded that the scenario that played out and resulted in the death of Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in a Saudi hospital in 2010 was repeating itself.

    They felt that those around President Buhari were not sincere to Nigerians and were very economical with the truth about the status of the President’s health.

    But the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, last Wednesday declared that Buhari’s case is far different from Yar’Adua’s.

    He said: “I think I can say without any equivocation that he is well, he is hale and he is hearty no question about that. You see on a lighter note, do you think Mr. President will be ill and we will be here and go about our business like this?  I want to assure you that Mr. President is well and he is absolutely in no danger.

    “I think it was one of the newspapers that said when I was the spokesman of Action Congress (AC), I demanded for hourly bulletin of Yar’Adua’s health and that I ought to be giving hourly bulletin as Minister of Information on the health of the president. And I said you are comparing apples and oranges. Mr. President is not ill, he is not in hospital, there will be no need to give anybody hourly bulletin about his health pure and simple.

    “Mr. President like I said elsewhere is a victim of his own transparency, he was going on leave, he did what the constitution said he should do, he transmitted letter to the National Assembly and an acting president was out in place and he said while I am on leave I am going to conduct some medical tests which all of us do without announcing it.

    “And of course less than six hours after he got there he was pronounced dead by some people. Even those who saw him climb the aircraft in Abuja said he was flown by air ambulance.

    “I can assure you that Mr. President is well, is hale and hearty and no cause for concern. The Acting President speaks to him every day and he told you so. I won’t blame Mr. President too because this is the third time you are declaring him dead.” he stated

    It was also cheering news that Buhari, who has been in constant touch with Osinbajo, also spoke on telephone with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara last Thursday.

    The pictures of Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Bisi Akande in London on Thursday also went a long way to douse the tension in the land.

    As at last Friday, speculations were high again that the President will return to the country at the weekend.

    If the President is yet to return by today, it is really the prayers of well-meaning Nigerians that Nigeria should quickly pass through this phase and the President back in the country to continue his assignment.

    Because many of them who have been greatly impressed with what he has been doing in the fight against corruption and securing the country in the past nineteen months, are eagerly waiting for him to fulfil the CHANGE mantra of his party in other sectors in the next two years.

    They want a better Nigeria than it was nineteen months ago.

     

    Special prayers for Buhari 

     

    Despite being declared hale and hearty, members of Federal Executive Council last Wednesday took time to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership before settling down for the business of the day.

    After the redition of the

    National Anthem, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had called on the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, for the Muslim prayer and Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole Folorunsho for the Christian prayer.

    While Adamu had prayed generally for the well-being of the members and for fruitful proceedings, Isaac was more specific.

    He did not only pray for God to make the President hale and hearty, but sought divine healing for every member of the cabinet.

    He said: “We thank you for the way and manner you have been leading this country. For our leadership it shall be well with them in the name of Jesus.

    “We come against every contrary spirit, every pronouncements of the evil one will come to nothing.

    “We pronounce that our leadership will be hale and hearty in the name of Jesus

    Every other person from the acting president to every member of the cabinet we also pronounce divine healing,” he added.

  • Govt to review staff housing plots for corporate organisations

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA) will review plots of land allocated to corporate organizations meant for staff housing that have not been developed.

    FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello disclosed this in Abuja while receiving the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Bayo Onanuga and some officials of his organization who paid the Minister a working visit.

    Onanuga said that the review had become necessary as some of these organizations have been unable to develop the plots of land, in some cases, some of them no longer exist as at today.

    According to him, “the FCT Administration will review allocations of plots meant for organizations’ staff houses for eventual re-allocation to more serious and capable organizations.”

    Bello revealed that his Administration is also working on a blueprint to come up with informal markets to take care of street hawkers that are being taken off the streets.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule,  the minister said that when the activities of street hawkers are adequately contained and alternative provided, the measure would go a long way in reducing traffic congestion in the city.

    The Minister decried the activities of vandals in the Federal Capital Territory; saying that funds drained to replace cables and other public facilities vandalized are so enormous and can better be utilized in providing other services that are begging for attention.

    The Minister assured that his Administration is determined to take Abuja back to the desire of its founding fathers and noted that high-level security has been achieved in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Speaking earlier, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Bayo Onanuga lauded the efforts of the FCT Administration for being able to achieve a lot of developmental strides especially in the areas of security and completion of abandoned road projects around the Federal Capital City despite the lean resources available.

    The Managing Director said that his team was in the FCTA to deepen their relationship for mutual benefits and also requested for a plot of land to build NAN Village for staff houses.

  • Security threat: Over 500 uncompleted buildings under watch

    Security threat: Over 500 uncompleted buildings under watch

    Unfinished buildings have become a source of worry to the authorities because criminals could hatch their plots in them, reports   GBENGA OMOKHUNU

    IT is mainly the fear of the unknown. Will violent criminals launch an attack from that uncompleted and abandoned building in the corner, or that other one over there?

    Those are questions that have agitated the minds of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, (AMMC).

    Acting coordinator of the council, Hajiya Safiya Umar said that the high rate of abandoned buildings in the nation’s capital has become a source of worry to the Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA) as such uncompleted buildings pose serious security challenge to residents of the territory.

    She stated that the authorities are still considering giving owners the prerogative of seeing whether they could complete their buildings or whether such structures would be demolished.

    Umar who disclosed this during a press briefing also stated that such buildings have been identified as hideouts for criminals operating in the nation’s capital.

    She said, “The Council and the FCT Administration as well as the security operatives know that these places are the hideouts of criminals. But the issue of either demolishing or revoking them, there are so many committees that have sat on the issue, and have made several recommendations. The Council is not in a position to tell you exactly the present position since it is being worked on from the top.

    “So, I cannot actually tell when the uncompleted buildings will be demolished or even whether it will actually be demolished. But equity and good conscience have made the FCT Administration to reach out to the owners of these structures, through newspaper advertisement in recent past.

    “I think we are still considering giving them the prerogative of seeing whether they could come in and complete their buildings, before the powers that be decide on next line of action”.

    Acting Director, Development Control Department under the Council, Mukhtar Galadima, who puts the total figure of such structures at over 500, disclosed that the department has compiled the list of all abandoned structures in the city.

    He said the department forwarded the list to the Department of Land Administration, which gave it the addresses of the owners, and with the approval of FCTA, the AMMC published the names of these individuals, given the timeframe within which to comply, failure of which the Administration will decide appropriately.

    Commenting on the recent High Court judgment stopping the planned demolition of illegal structures in Mpape, the director said the Department is still discussing with its head of Legal team for the possibility of appealing the judgment.

    “But the good thing about the said judgment is that due process was not followed. So if we were to follow due process in serving all relevant notices, and getting necessary approvals and orders, we can go ahead and do the demolition.

    “There is also a judgment before this (the latest court verdict) which says that he who has no title over land, we don’t need to serve him or her notice, because it is considered as illegal development.

    “But all the same, we are prepared to serve all the relevant notices and follow due process, to make sure that all the holes and leakages are blocked. Then we will go and do the needful, carry out the demolition exercise”, Galadima affirmed.

    When pressed to state exactly when the department will embarked on the planned demolition of the suburb, he insisted; “I cannot precisely say how soon it will be, as it depends on the outcome of the appeal against the current judgment; and we have 30-day window to file an appeal. I’m not saying that Mpape must go, but due process will be followed”.

    Hajiya Umar also said that residents of Gidan Mangoro resettlement and other resettlement communities in the Federal Capital Territory will soon heave a sigh of relief as the FCT Administration has vowed to open up road networks aimed at decongesting the city centre.

    She revealed that the development of satellite towns will receive priority attention by the present administration.

    Umar said it was the duty and responsibility of the AMMC to manage the city and offer advice to the area councils on how manage their councils, adding that the council is committed to minimize the challenges of the residents of these resettlement communities.

    The Ag. Coordinator revealed that apart from Gidan Mangoro, other resettlement communities that have been mapped out for opening up the road networks by AMMC include Kichuku, Apo Mechanic and Kubwa Mechanic village resettlement.

    Umar said the Department of Development Control was done with the infrastructure design of these communities and that they were ready to move in whenever funds were made available.

  • ‘Enterprise agency supported 4,863 persons in 2016’

    As part of efforts to boost small-scale businesses, the Abuja Enterprise Agency or AEA, of the Federal Capital Territory Administration supported 4,863 individuals and businesses in 2016.

    The breakdown of the support, profile, according to the agency, is as follows: capacity training for 1,498 entrepreneurs, 510 business owners, promoted 1,010 enterprises, financed 154 businesses, created 216 enterprises and created 839 jobs, among others.

    Also, the Agency had empowered over 200 women and youths who have graduated in various skills acquisition programme of the agency in ICT/entrepreneurship with starter packs and cash.

    The Acting Managing Director of the Agency, Malam Arabi Tukur who made these revelations at the presentation ceremony of starter packs to beneficiaries of skills acquisition training also stressed that the Agency has designed and sustained a number of initiatives to accelerate the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, in the Territory.

    Tukur also stated that the Agency recorded successes in the area of youth development by organising the 3rd Abuja Business Plan Competition, Youth—ICT Training Programme, Youth Entrepreneurs Programme and the FCT Skills Acquisition Training Programme.

    “The FCT Administration through its support for 3rd Abuja Business Plan Competition built the capacity of 1200 youths. Furthermore, this project facilitated access to finance through the provision of a credit facility of N20 million and Grants worth N6, 750, 000 to the top 21 performers in the competition. This led to the start-up and growth of 21 entrepreneurs,” he added.

    The AEA boss used the occasion to reveal that the 4th edition of the competition will commence in the first quarter of this year, and it is expected to accommodate over a thousand entries in areas of fashion, ICT and agriculture sectors of the economy, noting that the multiplier effects of the competition in the FCT cannot be overemphasised.

    Tukur maintained that plans have been concluded to have two sessions of the Skills Acquisition Training to take place in March and October 2017, stressing that the Agency is targeting 500 participants for the training, and of this number 150 will be people living with disabilities.

    While thanking the FCT Administration for the support to achieve its mandate, he said the Agency is set to implement its strategic plan targeted at creating over 20, 000 jobs in 2017.

     

  • Joint Task Team grabs 89 sex workers in Abuja

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Joint Task Team for the Cleansing of Abuja has arrested 89 prostitutes. The  team which was constituted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also impounded 104 tricycles and 114 unpainted taxis.

    Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary FCT Muhammad Sule made the disclosure in a press statement.

    According to him, the Acting Director FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Mr Wadata Bodinga informed the Minister of the arrests in Abuja.

    He stated, “The Joint Task Team for the Cleansing of Abuja City recently reconstituted by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has impounded 114 unpainted taxis within the first one week of its operations.

    “The Acting Director of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Mr. Wadata Aliyu Bodinga made this disclosure when he visited the Minister’s office.

    “The Director disclosed that 104 Keke Napep (Tricycles) were also impounded and riders prosecuted at the Mobile Courts during the same period.

    “Mr. Bodinga further disclosed that during the one-week operation of the Task Team, 8 commercial motorcycles (Okada) were also impounded, noting that in the subsequent weeks special attention would be given to impounding and arresting of Okada.

    According to him, the Task Team would hit the Okada riders from all angles from Airport Road, Gishiri village, Wuye, AYA and Asokoro area, warning that all those arrested would be prosecuted.

    “On the menace of commercial sex workers, he said that the Task Team has so far arrested 89 of them who have been prosecuted and handed over to the Social Development Secretariat for rehabilitation to enable them learn useful skills.

    “The Director, however, urged the residents of the Federal Capital Territory to assist the FCT Administration by not patronising the unpainted taxis, Keke Napep, Okadas as well as the commercial sex workers.

    “He warned that their existence have security implications because they are veritable channels being used by the criminals which is in nobody’s interest.

    “The Director while saying that the Task Team is chaired by the FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Mustapha Mohammed assured that the Task Team is prepared to carry the mandate of the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello to its logical end.

    “The reconstituted Task Team which has the mandate to deal with traffic problems, environmental nuisances and any social menace within the Federal Capital City, commenced operation on January 15, 2017.”

  • Rooting for SGF

    Many ministers and cabinet members in the President Muham-madu Buhari administration who seemed to have kept a distance from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal since his trouble with the National Assembly started last December, have made a U-turn.

    A corruption allegation was leveled against Lawal last month by a subcommittee of the Senate.

    The Senate’s ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the Northeast had accused Lawal of breaching Nigeria’s law in handling contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the Northeast (PINE).

    The committee had claimed that Lawal put himself in a position of conflict of interests, stressing that his firm was awarded over N200 million contract to clear ‘invasive plant specie’ in Yobe State.

    Based on the report, the Senate had called for Lawal’s resignation, probe and prosecution. But Lawal had denied the allegations and claimed that he was not given fair hearing by the Senate committee.

    To get to the root of the matter, President Buhari immediately directed the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to investigate the matter and the corrupt allegations against the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

    Since the cabinet members didn’t know where the pendulum will swing to at the end of the day, most of the ministers appeared to be avoiding the SGF like a plague while the accusations and investigations lasted.

    But President Buhari last Tuesday cleared Lawal and Magu of the corruption allegations. In separate letters to the Senate, Buhari informed the Senate that the duo have been cleared of the allegations based on the submission of the investigation report by the AGF

    On SGF, Buhari said that the Senate report, which was forwarded to him, was lacking substance that is needed to remove Lawal from office.

    According to him, the report of the Senate Ad-hoc committee was a minority report, noting that it was only three members of the committee that signed the report.

    The President, in the letter, also said that the report being an interim one should not compel the SGF out of office, particularly as serious as SGF office is.

    He said: “Having gone through the report which emanated from the Senate, I discover it was an interim one and particularly only three members out of nine signed the report.

    “Moreso, Babachir Lawal was not invited by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee which is in tandem with the principle of equity and fair hearing.” He stated

    The letter, which was read in the Senate last Tuesday changed the mood of the ministers twenty-four hours later at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting last Wednesday.

    Lawal instantly became a centre of attraction prior to the commencement of the FEC meeting. Most of the ministers who had kept a distance from the SGF during the trying period, rushed to greet him. Lawal was standing by his seat in the Council Chamber for over twenty minutes exchanging pleasantries and recounting his experience in the past few weeks with the cabinet members who approached him.

    He first had a long discussion with the Minister of State for Agriculture, Heneiken Lokpobiri around 9.40 a.m. Ministers who joined the discussion included Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani Uguru. Others included Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Abubakar Bwari Bawa, and Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar.

    When he moved away from his seat and was walking across the Council Chamber, he was also stopped by other cabinet members who chatted with him.

    Those who stopped him on his way included the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma and the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

    His movement round the chamber was cut short by 10.00 a.m when the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s arrival for the meeting was announced. He quickly returned to his seat for the opening National Anthem as other ministers also rushed to their seats.

     

    Osinbajo and FEC meeting

     

    For the third time in a year, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was on the 19th of January, 2017 elevated to the position of Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That became possible as President Muhammadu Buhari proceeded on vacation. Osinbajo had also last February and June assumed the position of Acting President.

    Last Wednesday, Osinbajo had the opportunity to preside over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting under his new role. By 10.00 a.m. he was ushered into the Council chamber by one of the aides shouting ‘Acting President’, ‘Acting President’. Even though the FEC meeting was one of the shortest presided over by Osinbajo, the meeting had a substantial number of ministers in attendance. About 25 ministers were already in the Council Chamber when the meeting that lasted for about two hours, commenced. In the past, the attendance when the meeting starts used to be very scanty.

  • Minister disappointed with NHIS services

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has called for improvement in the quality of services being rendered to patrons of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in FCT hospitals.

    Bello made this call when the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf paid him a visit.

    He said the feedback he has been receiving from enrollees of the scheme has not been encouraging, especially with regards to the quality of drugs being provided to them.

    The Minister wondered why patients would be asked to purchase drugs from third parties outside of the scheme, despite making part payments to hospital managements in addition to their contributions to the National Health Insurance Scheme.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister urged the organization to also tackle the issue of the perception in the public that drugs in the NHIS system are always of low quality types because this is what the feedbacks usually reveal.

    His words: “If the funding or contribution being made by the enrollees is the issue, then it is very important for us to tackle that because it is not appropriate for them to pay for portion of the services in the hospitals and then they go outside to pay for other services. That makes it difficult for the physicians and for you the agencies moving these services to really profile your patients properly, because parties that are under your supervision as well as parties that are not under your supervision are giving services. So, it becomes difficult for you to detect issues of maybe wrong diagnosis or wrong prescription.”

    Reacting to the suggestion that Desk Officers should be assigned to healthcare facilities nationwide to monitor the services being provided to subscribers of the NHIS, the Minister said the FCT Administration would give full support to any idea that could help improve services to the residents.

    His words: “The bottom line is service delivery and the feedback from the general public, not only in FCT but so many other States has not been encouraging. For the Scheme to succeed, we as the operators, the policy makers and more importantly, those in enforcement and supervision is the key and that’s why we whole heartedly support your vision and requirement to assign Desk Officers in all the hospitals nationwide.

    “The FCT will naturally key into it and provide you the necessary support. The advantage you have is that being stationed in the FCT, you could always use the facilities you have in the FCT to try all the new ideas and interventions you want to do and we will support you so that the FCT will be a model that you will always showcase to other states when you go for advocacy or when you invite them to Abuja.”

    Bello directed the Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, General Manager of the FCT Hospital Services Management Board as well as the FCT Health Insurance Scheme to sit down with the NHIS team and discuss issues on how to improve the situation.

    The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf said: “Our enrollees nationwide have not been treated with the respect and dignity they deserved as many of our patients go to hospitals and they complain to us that drugs are usually out of stock”.

    Yusuf added, “That is why I solicit the support of the FCT Minister to allow NHIS to deploy Desk Officers in FCT hospitals to advocate for patients. So that when our patients go to hospitals and are told they encounter problems, they have somebody to go to and complain, which is the NHIS Desk Officer. The Desk Officer will get direct access to me just as I have direct access to the Hon. Minister of FCT”.