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Tag: delivery

  • Caesarean section now safer method of delivery

    Caesarean section now safer method of delivery

    Caesarean Section, CS, though not an option for women when it comes to delivery, most women nowadays still prefers it because, according to them, the pain you go through is less. In this interview with OMOLARA AKINTOYE, an obstetrician/gynaecologist, Dr Adeleke Kaka, explains that it is advised that from age 40 women should consider CS as an option to avoid complications 

    Which one is safer, Caesarean Section or Vaginal birth? Evidence has shown that CS actually carries more morbidity than vaginal birth. Normal delivery is safer. There are lots of risks involved in CS. They include some cases requiring anesthesia (the loss of sensation caused by damage to a nerve). Nowadays, patients don’t sleep again as injection administered on them will only induce loss of sensitivity to pain in all or a part of the body for medical reasons. The risk involved in terms of anesthesia includes numbness, and hypotension (blood pressure dropping) which can be very severe. That of anesthesia can go beyond what is expected. Others include cardiovascular collapse or paralysis. In serious emergency cases whereby the patient is from a Traditional Birth Attendant or Faith-Based Home, when she has been labouring for days before being transferred to another hospital and the gastric content might have reduced, this will no doubt put both the mother and the baby at risk. There can be inadvertent injury at the point of cut.

    At what point will a woman be considered for CS?

    Looking at it from the time when the woman is pregnant to that of labour, placing a woman on CS can be for the following reasons: If the mother has severe hypertension or enclampsia which are dangerous, we can’t subject such a woman to normal delivery to avoid complications. Another instance is when the baby’s position is abnormal in the womb or if the mother has fibroid around the cervix or in the lower part of the womb or if the baby is too big, like 4.5kg upwards. Another instance is when the placenta is at the lower segment before the baby. Another instance is when the pregnant woman after having undergone scan is said to have placenta previa, i.e. the placenta is at the lower part of the abdomen while the fetus is up. If such a woman is allowed to go through normal delivery she will bleed to death. It is advised that such a woman go through CS to save the life of the mother and the baby.

    Speaking about the advantages of vaginal delivery, Dr Kaka said babies born vaginally have a decreased risk of certain immune system disorders, including asthma and allergies, compared with those born by Caesarean Section. According to recent studies, researchers now think they know why entering the world via the vagina exposes babies to several kinds of beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus; these normally comprise more than 95 percent of vaginal bacteria and go on to colonise the newborn’s intestine.

    The type of bacteria on new borns’ skins seems to influence the development of their digestive and immune systems, according to reports.

    Ceasarean Section, according to Dr. Kaka, also has lots of advantages. “Yes, a Caesarean birth is a major abdominal surgery and it involves all the risks associated with that. However, medical science is now so advanced as to lower the risk so significantly that women can consider elective CS birth. C sections are now much safer than they used to be, and with them becoming more routine, surgeons are more skilled at this than ever before.

    “Also, labour pains can be a very real downside to a vaginal delivery. Since labour pains can extend over a long period of time, it can be a harrowingly difficult and painful time for a woman.

    There are many benefits to a Caesarean section delivery as well, which should be noted so that a woman can make an informed decision about an elective CS if she so wishes.

    “There is of course the pain of an abdominal surgery to overcome, but after the first few days the pain is very manageable in most cases. Remember even in a vaginal delivery there is usually an episiotomy performed so there are those stitches to deal with. In any case, proponents of a CS will tell you that with this form of delivery you know the amount and duration of pain, whereas with a vaginal delivery you don’t know how long and severe your labour will be. You can be conscious throughout and not have to suffer any pain of delivery. Post-delivery issues like haemorrhoids, etc, are also not an issue with a CS.

    “A vaginal delivery is not the most private of things, with doctors and nurses milling around to check how dilated you are, and you being in a less than flattering position for any number of hours. A CS is over in a matter of some minutes. Coming through the birth canal is quite an arduous process for a baby, who often comes out with an elongated or slightly misshapen head. In a CS the child is simply lifted out and has to undergo none of the rigours of a vaginal delivery.”

    Proponents of natural childbirth, generally, he explained, are of the view that it is a process that should happen in due course rather than something you schedule, but this has to be a personal choice that a woman should be permitted to make without having to deal with guilt. In conclusion, Kaka pointed out that when it comes to labour, mothers should bear in mind that there is nothing to be afraid of, “since there is a team of doctors and nurses who are there to help you, to make sure that everything goes well during delivery. No matter how scary it may sound, when the instincts kick in so you will know what to do. Before the big day comes you should make sure that you will find out things to know about labour and you should talk about stages of labour with your doctor.”

  • Lawmaker partners NHIS, NGO on health care delivery

    Lawmaker partners NHIS, NGO on health care delivery

    Mindful of the United Nations (UN) stance that access to quality and affordable health care will solve most of health challenges confronting humankind, especially those dwelling at the rural areas, the member representing Ilaje Constituency 1 in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr. Abayomi Akinruntan, has provided quality health care services for members of his constituency.

    The gesture was in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). It was aimed at giving medical support to the people.

    Also involved in the collaboration is Equitable Health Access Initiative (EHAI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

    To this end, the representatives of the NGO and the NHIS in Ondo State had visited two out of the 18 health centres in the constituency in preparation for the commencement of the health insurance scheme.

    The two health centres visited were Ilowo Comprehensive Health Centre located on the riverside communities which serves the people residing at the riverside, and Ugbonla Basic Health Centre in Ugbonla.

    The team observed that the health centre in Ilowo community, which was built some years ago by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to provide quality health care to the people  and being managed by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) on contract basis, was in a terrible shape.

    During the visit, the two members of staff on duty, who took the team round the facility, decried the level of neglect by OSOPADEC. They urged the state government to show more interest in the maintenance of the health centre.

    One of the workers said: “All the equipment here are obsolete as a result of which we can’t treat patients. I have been working here for over 10 years. This place was serving the people of the riverside area but since three years now, we’ve not been getting support again from OSOPADEC that is managing the facility.

    “The only thing we get is our salaries; no equipment, no drugs and the staff quarter is dilapidated. We now refer our patients from here to the upland in Ugbonla Basic Health Centre or Igbokoda General Hospital. It has not been easy for members of staff here.”

    However, the condition was somewhat better at the Ugbonla Basic Health Centre as the place had just been renovated by Consolidated Oil Company, (Conoil).

    The Head Nurse, who took the team round the health centre, appreciated the regular support of the local government, adding that even though they are still experiencing some challenges, with time they will overcome them.

    Speaking at the palace of Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, the lawmaker said he had decided to bring relief to his constituents after realising the challenges they face in accessing affordable and quality health care.

    His words: “Our people, especially in the riverside area, face a lot of problems before they access quality health care in their communities. It’s expensive and not easy moving pregnant women and emergency cases with boat or canoe from the riverside to the upland.

    “I realised the need for urgent intervention on their health facility in the riverside area and I have decided to take it upon myself to foot the bill of delivering quality health care for my people; not minding the harsh economic situation. This tour was for us to assess the level of readiness of the centres to provide such services.”

    Responding, the NHIS Director in Ondo State, Mr. Simon Adeniji, commended the lawmaker for giving them a platform to deliver the Federal Government’s initiative to the people of Ilaje Constituency 1.

    He said the aim of the NHIS was to ensure that communities, especially those at the rural areas, have direct access to quality health care across the country at no or low cost, adding that the purpose of their visit was to assess the infrastructure at the health centres and strategise on how to deliver good and quality health care to the people.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EHAI, Dr Akinmurele Timothy, admitted that Mr. Akinruntan has done a noble thing by caring about the welfare of his people. He added that only those who have their people in mind will decide to bear the cost which he put at N800 monthly per person.

    After the inspection of the facilities, the team visited the Olugbo of Ugbo land.

    The monarch said the state of the health centres in Ilaje is worrisome, even as he called on the state government to intervene for the benefit of people living in the riverside areas. He promised to collaborate with the team in achieving their goal of delivering better health care to his people.

     

  • Amaechi’s unquenchable thirst for better transportation delivery

    For leaders like Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Nigeria’s transportation minister, nothing interests them like rendering service to mankind.

    Ever since Mr. Amaechi ascended his present political status, he has always been on his toes to deliver on his mandate in the nation’s transportation sector.

    One thing that distinguishes Amaechi  is the fact that Amaechi has an unquenchable thirst to service delivery. His urge to reposition the nation’s devastated transportation sector has no limitation.

    For real, those who work or have worked with the former Rivers State governor can attest to his style. His pro- activeness and commitment to tackling daunting challenging issues that will trigger development to all cannot be overemphasized.

    Back then in Port Harcourt, Amaechi would commit time at night inspecting projects with ‘torch light’, that is how restless he is in committing to service delivery. For him, the job must be done before he takes his cool.

    Anyhow, one would have taught that after serving Rivers State in his forties jumping from one project site to the other , Amaechi would act the typical ‘big man’ Nigerian minister or any other political appointee by attending to official duties at will been the overall boss in the transportation ministry, but, that is not the case. Amaechi would dash to the office at 8.am attending to official matters until late night. For Amaechi, there is no dull moment.

    Working with a pragmatic, selfless and service itching boss like Amaechi requires a qualification of self determination and commitment, you must be ready to kill sleep, you must be on your marks and you must be at his beck and call because for him service delivery cannot be compromised, nothing can deter him to forge ahead except for the fact that death is no respecter of mankind.

    Recently however, series of developmental efforts had been vigorously pursued by the Buhari’s “strong man” to better the transportation sector.

    Precisely on the 1st day of July, 2016 Amaechi had signed a contractual agreement with China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) on the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal railway project.

    Amaechi signed the agreement on behalf of the federal government. At the brief event which took place at the ministry’s conference room, Amaechi said the contract was an addendum to the Lagos-Calabar coastal railway project which was initially awarded by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to the Chinese company at a contract cost of $11.917 billion.

    Amaechi also disclosed that at the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari government, the federal government negotiated the contract with the China firm and agreed at a contract cost of $11.117 billion thereby saving a whopping sum of $800m.

    Amaechi reiterated that the Buhari led government has completed the signing of the same contract with a different contract sum in order to legalise the new deal.

    “What we have done today is signing of the same contract but different contract sum to make it legal.President Muhammadu Buhari has assured me that he is committed to the development of the rail sector in Nigeria and would not leave any ‘stone unturned’ to achieving that dream”,he said.

    Amaechi also noted that the first and second segments of the projects run through Calabar-Uyo-Aba-Port Harcourt-Yenagoa-Otuoke-Ughelli-Warri-Sapelle-Benin-Ore-Ijebu-Ode-Lagos with a target of covering all the seaports along those routes in good time.

    Similarly, on the 31st day of August, 2016,  Amaechi took further step in signing two commercial contract agreements with the same Chinese firm on the Kano-Kaduna segment of three of the Lagos-Kano rail modernisation project with a contract sum of $1.685 billion and the Calabar- Port Harcourt segment 1 extending to the Onne Deep Sea Port of the coastal rail project at the cost of $3.4 billion with the Chinese engineering firm.

    Amaechi who spoke briefly at the event described it as symbolic. “In the sense that what we are doing is the segmentation of that same contract in line with the agreement with the China-Exim Bank”.

    Amaechi said the federal government would release its counterpart funds soonest assuring that with the cooperation of the China-Exim Bank, the projects would be completed in November, 2018. “I assured Mr. President that we need to complete these projects in two years time,” he said.

  • NLNG to take delivery of $1.41b vessels

    NLNG to take delivery of $1.41b vessels

    The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) will this month receive the last of the six new vessels (ships) it bought for the transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to various parts of the world.

    Its Managing Director, Babs Omotowa, told The Nation that five of the six vessels were delivered between November last year and March this year, adding that the last vessel will be delivered this month.

    Omotowa said the acquisition of the new ships became imperative as Train plant approaches nameplate capacity and LNG cargoes currently delivered to distant destinations across the world increases in response to changing business opportunities.

    To meet this demand, he said an arm of the NLNG, the Bonny Gas Transport, in 2013, ordered six new dual fuel diesel engine (DFDE) vessels to be constructed by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), while  Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) was ordered to build four.

    Financing for the six vessels, according to him, was arranged in two programmes: a-$310 million six-year additional programme debt (APD) facility and a-$1.1 billion 12-year new vessel debt (NVD) facility.  The APD, he noted, was additional indebtedness under 2006 vessel financing arrangement, while the NVD was a fresh facility with several international commercial banks and export credit agencies (ECAs) as lenders. These lenders include Korean Export-Import Bank (KEXIM) and Korean Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE). The deals were signed on March 26, 2013, he added.

    Omotowa said he was excited by the project because it created training for 600 locals in ship building in both Nigeria and the contractors’ shipyards in Korea. It also created an opportunity for utilisation of qualified Nigerians in the contractors’ shipyards as workforce for the construction of the vessels.

    Besides training and job creation, the project made use of suitable goods and services worth $10 million provided by local firms. It also led to the promotion of the establishment of a ship repair yard in Nigeria for in-country development of repair and maintenance capacity for LNG ships and other large carriers. The drydock yard in Nigeria will be supported by Samsung and Hyundai.

    With the drydock in operation, Nigeria and other neighbouring countries will no longer take their vessels to Europe and Asia for maintenance, he added.

    Omotowa also said the firm has shipped over 3,500 cargoes of LNG in its 15 years of operation, contributed substantial revenue to Federal Government’s coffer, as well as the state and local government where it operates.  Currently, NLNG accounts for seven per cent of the global LNG market and is the fourth largest LNG plant in the world.

    (NLNG) will this month receive the last of the six new vessels (ships) it bought for the transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to various parts of the world.

    Its Managing Director, Babs Omotowa, told The Nation that five of the six vessels were delivered between November last year and March this year, adding that the last vessel will be delivered this month.

    Omotowa said the acquisition of the new ships became imperative as Train plant approaches nameplate capacity and LNG cargoes currently delivered to distant destinations across the world increases in response to changing business opportunities.

    To meet this demand, he said an arm of the NLNG, the Bonny Gas Transport, in 2013, ordered six new dual fuel diesel engine (DFDE) vessels to be constructed by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), while  Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) was ordered to build four.

    Financing for the six vessels, according to him, was arranged in two programmes: a-$310 million six-year additional programme debt (APD) facility and a-$1.1 billion 12-year new vessel debt (NVD) facility.  The APD, he noted, was additional indebtedness under 2006 vessel financing arrangement, while the NVD was a fresh facility with several international commercial banks and export credit agencies (ECAs) as lenders. These lenders include Korean Export-Import Bank (KEXIM) and Korean Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE). The deals were signed on March 26, 2013, he added.

    Omotowa said he was excited by the project because it created training for 600 locals in ship building in both Nigeria and the contractors’ shipyards in Korea. It also created an opportunity for utilisation of qualified Nigerians in the contractors’ shipyards as workforce for the construction of the vessels.

    Besides training and job creation, the project made use of suitable goods and services worth $10 million provided by local firms. It also led to the promotion of the establishment of a ship repair yard in Nigeria for in-country development of repair and maintenance capacity for LNG ships and other large carriers. The drydock yard in Nigeria will be supported by Samsung and Hyundai.

    With the drydock in operation, Nigeria and other neighbouring countries will no longer take their vessels to Europe and Asia for maintenance, he added.

    Omotowa also said the firm has shipped over 3,500 cargoes of LNG in its 15 years of operation, contributed substantial revenue to Federal Government’s coffer, as well as the state and local government where it operates.  Currently, NLNG accounts for seven per cent of the global LNG market and is the fourth largest LNG plant in the world.

  • FHA, FMBN partner for better housing delivery

    FHA, FMBN partner for better housing delivery

    The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) are to work together to boost housing delivery.

    Following a meeting in Abuja, they agreed to explore the possibility of using the National Housing Fund (NHF) being administered by FMBN to create mortgage for subscribers to FHA houses in the country’s six geopolitical zones.

    FHA Managing Director Prof Mohammed Al-Amin and FMBN Acting Managing Director Mr Richard Esin met in Abuja last month  at the instance of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

    A statement issued at the end of the meeting, said FHA and FMBN acknowledged that as major players in the housing equation,  they have roles to play in driving the new initiative. The agencies said it was imperative for them to build sustained synergy and collaboration in playing their roles under the new national housing progamme.

    Al-Amin spoke of regulatory challenges, promising that stakeholders would make efforts to overcome them. An enabling environment is to be created to encourage foreign investors to participate in the development of new towns around the country. A joint committee of FHA and FMBN officials will drive the process.

    The committee will also consider the viability of the Northeast Intervention Housing Programme proposed by FHA and forward its recommendations to Al-Amin and Esin respectively.

    Also included in the committee’s task is the exploration of areas for further assistance by FMBN to FHA Mortgage Bank Limited- a subsidiary of FHA, to enable it participate in the integrated housing scheme.

    Both Al-Amin and Esin commended President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the one million housing units per year programme. They expressed optimism that the programme, if diligently implemented, would facilitate the recovery of the economy, frontally tackle the nation’s housing deficit, create employment for the youths and improve the economic well-being of the people.

    For stakeholders in the industry, the collaboration of the two agencies saddled with housing provision is a welcome development. This is because for several years, the expected synergy has not existed between both organisations, which according to observers, is partly responsible for the huge gap in the nation’s housing requirement.

    The two chief executives decided that their meetings would hold regularly “in order to strengthen their collaboration towards improved housing delivery in the country”, the statement read.

    To strengthen this development, the FMBN will also collaborate with the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Corporation (NMRC) towards strengthening the secondary mortgage market of the industry. This is part of the refocusing of the apex mortgage banker’s business model aimed at addressing the lower end of the income ladder, which aims at the mass market for housing delivery.

    Esin, while welcoming the NMRC Chief Executive, Professor Charles Inyangete, to his office, said the aim would be achieved by taking advantage of the concessionary (below-market) mortgage loan terms under the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme being managed by the Bank.

    Inyangete observed that while both firms serve different market segments, the challenges faced are common to the Nigerian Housing/Mortgage sector. This, he noted, requires both institutions adopting a collaborative and complementary approach to addressing such issues. He, therefore, expressed hope of more positive interaction and the need for synergy between the institutions, which are set up to address various income segments of the Nigerian mortgage market.

    Areas for a common synergy identified by both parties include the review of land and property registry practices for time and cost-effectiveness; the enactment of a foreclosure law to mitigate mortgage lending risks; the introduction of industry-wide uniform underwriting standards and the development of a data collection system for the Nigerian mortgage market. A committee is to be set up to further explore and deepen the new relationship in line with the identified areas of collaboration.

  • Govt assures HIV-infected expectant moms of safe delivery

    Govt assures HIV-infected expectant moms of safe delivery

    •Ministry trains TBAs, FBAs in HIV

    Expectant mothers living with HIV  in Akwa Ibom State can patronise Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and Faith-based Birth Attendants (FBAs) (those who take deliveries in churches and mission homes) without the fear of transmitting the virus to their babies. This is because the Ministry of Health has trained them in the art of safe delivery of patients with special needs.

    According to the Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, the roles of traditional and faith-based birth attendants in the provision of maternal health services needed to be expanded in the state because their engagement is aimed at improving maternal and neonatal child health services as well as increasing the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT).

    The participants were drawn across the three pilot Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Eket, Etinan and Ikot Ekpene. Their training was in collaboration with the Management Science for Health (MSH) USAID, with assistance from the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board (LSTMB).

    At a programme to award certificates of participation to the participants, otherwise called ‘Graduation’, held at the E-Library Complex, Uyo,  Dr  Ukpong, said the journey began in October 2, last year with the policy launch for the regulation, monitoring and supervision of their operations in the state.

    Ukpong said: “The roles of traditional and faith-based birth attendants in the provision of maternal health services in our local communities cannot be denied, due to them being easily accessible and having the high level of trust that expectant women place in them. Also, the persistent space between the number of women that attend antenatal care (ANC) and the number of women that eventually deliver at the facilities with a skilled birth attendant particularly, the HIV positive expectant women reinforce the evidence of patronage of Traditional and Faith based attendants. As such, this engagement programme is imperative to ensure that the required services by pregnant women, especially HIV positive ones are received in a safe and hygienic environment with required referral services.”

    The Commissioner commended the TBAs for taking the training and internship seriously, and implored them to ensure the upgrade of their facilities and sites according to the set standards and criteria in the policy guidelines, “And do ensure that you record your data as at when due and appropriately,” he stated.

    In the same vein, the Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr. Comfort Archibong said TBA and FBAs play important role in the community in the provision of maternal health services, by virtue of their proximity and accessibility to the rural dwellers, as they remain the preferred service providers for delivery in most communities over the formal health facilities.

    Dr Archibong said however deliveries with TBAs have been tainted with use of unsterilised tools, unskilled personnel, poor environmental conditions, and little or no knowledge of PMTCT, hence contributing to high maternal and infant mortality and mother to child transfer (MTCT) of HIV. “Women who test HIV positive and do not deliver in the facilities put their birth attendants (most likely TBAs and FBAs) and babies at risk of contracting the HIV virus. That is why the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health with assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Leadership Management and Governance project (LMG) is engaging with TBAs,” she stated.

    Dr Archibong said the focus is on five major areas: Regulation, Training, PMTCT, Coordination and Monitoring and Supervision.  “TBAs and FBAs have undergone two levels of training (Basic training and Internship) three weeks each, spanning duration of 6weeks. Their knowledge and skills was built in order to improve PMTCT uptake and improve maternal and child health. TBAs and FBAs graduating today have satisfactorily fulfilled the criteria required for the successful completion of their training,” said Dr Archibong.

  • Gynaecologists learn new delivery technique

    Gynaecologists learn new delivery technique

    FIFTEEN obstetrics and gynaecologists (O and Gs) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) have been trained to use a vacuum device known as Kiwi to conduct vaginal delivery of babies.

    An obstetric and gynaecologist based in Ireland, Dr Oluwole Alabi whose company Mufam Advertising Trust Limited recommended the tool, said the device would discourage the rate hospital carry out caesarian section (CS).

    According to him, the device will help to reduce child mortality because it can be used to assist women in labour deliver safely.

    Alabi said the device encompasses all aspects of conventional delivery equipment. Unlike the bogus conventional machine used to induce delivery, it is portable and power-free, he added.

    He said a doctor can single handedly deliver an expectant mother of a baby. “This is not so in the case of conventional delivery machine as many staff are required to operate it,” he said.

    The training, he said, was important without which th mechanism may become problematic to the users and,as such and put expectant mothers and their babies in danger.

    According to him, the device is easy to use and it has about 99 per cent chances of assisting women achieve vaginal delivery without complications.

    This, he said, will prevent or reduce deliveries through caesarian section (CS).

    The Managing Director of the company, Dr Gbenga Salau, said his organisation introduced the product into Nigeria so that expectant mothers do not die needlessly during child birth.

    He said a unit of the device costs about N10,000, adding that  Salau, who is the convener of the training, said the government and private organisation can buy into the programme.

  • Pathway to effective public service delivery

    The public service is an important institution anywhere in the world. It is the machinery that formulates and implements the decisions and policies of the government. To that extent, the success of any government in carrying out its statutory and constitutional responsibilities of maintaining law and order as well as engendering socio-economic and political development of any nation depends largely on the type of civil service which the country has. Thus, there is the likelihood of a government to meet the aspirations of the mass of the people over which it rules if the public service, which executes policies, is proactive, enlightened and incorruptible. Conversely, no government can achieve the modernization of the society if its public service is made up of mediocre and corrupt officers who divert the resources meant for the commonwealth to their private pockets.

    There is no doubt that the Nigerian public service has, over the years, contributed to the development of the country. Although the country has been characterized by political instability and socio-economic problems which have negatively rubbed off on all other institutions of the state, the principle of anonymity and non-partisanship of the civil service have largely empowered it to do justice to its statutory duties over the past decades. Much as military governments, which ruled this country for many years, dealt a devastating blow to the principle of security of tenure of public servants by subjecting public servants to premature retirement, many civil servants have continued to contribute their quotas to national development.

    To be sure, the overconcentration of power in the hands of some public servants by the military, as in the case of the era of “super perm-secs” and the prevalence of the culture of corruption in the country, in no small way impaired the role perception of these public servants. However, many of them lived above board. They performed and continue to perform their duties truthfully and conscientiously. In spite of the avarice, greed and the culture of primitive accumulation of wealth which reign supreme in the country, many of these public servants remain contented with their salaries. They have refused to join the pillaging of the national treasury. In the discharge of their official duties, they do not solicit for bribes. They treat all Nigerians they meet in the line of duty equally. It is this type of public servants who had no problem to go along with the practice of “Due Process” in civil service when former President Olusegun Obasanjo introduced it. It is also this set of civil servants who saw nothing bad in “mopping up” the treasury of ministries and government departments at the end of each year. The underlining factor behind their ability to adapt to the new rules of accountability, particularly the excellent financial control mechanisms introduced by the Federal Government since the civilian government of Obasanjo is their incorruptibility, their patriotic disposition and the abiding desire to maintain their honour and integrity in a country where honest men and women are in short supply.

    But for many, the ethics of their work have no meaning. And unfortunately, this group of erring public servants is in the majority. They have no conscience. They have no interest of the country at heart. Rather than play the role of agents of national development which they are statutorily meant to play, these public officials have, by their conduct over the years, sabotaged the efforts of successive governments to modernize Nigeria. Instead of faithfully executing the policies of government, they look for ways of cutting corners. Self-aggrandizement is uppermost in their mind. In order to cater for their interest, records are falsified with impunity, they embezzle public funds kept into their care, solicit and take bribes and are only concerned with what comes to their pockets rather than quality service delivery.

    The adverse effects of unethical behavior of some public servants cut across all the sectors of the society. For instance, most of the roads in Nigeria which are mere death traps are today in that sorry state as a result of corrupt activities of government officials. After taking kick backs, roads which are clearly sub-standard are approved as jobs well done. The diversion of patients from government hospitals to private hospitals is another dimension of the unpatriotic conduct of some public officials. Through this singular act, government has lost huge amount of revenue that would have contributed substantially to the provision of social amenities to the people. The relative ease with which the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of People and Goods is exploited by organized criminal groups to traffic human beings, firearms and hard drugs in Nigeria is a function of corrupt security agents who, for pecuniary gains, allow these traffickers to move freely within Nigeria and across the borders.

    The security challenges currently bedeviling Nigeria in the form of proliferation of militant groups across the country and terror attacks by Boko Haram are fuelled by the availability of arms and ammunitions which flow freely in the country as well as the widespread circulation of narcotics in the country, the proceeds of which are used to fund insurgency. The list of the negative effects of unethical behavior of some public servants in Nigeria is almost inexhaustible. It suffices, however, to say that the signature of corrupt behavior of some public servants in the country cut-across all the facets of the Nigerian society.

    In the light of the damaging consequences of this immoral behavior, what steps do we need to take in order to reap maximum benefits of a people-oriented public service and bring Nigeria to the pathway of steady national growth? First, government must holistically re-orientate the public service. The idea of reducing the workforce by way of sacking civil servants can only be counter-productive. For public servants to shun corrupt practices, their job security must be assured. Governments at all levels must enlighten their workers on the need to stick to work ethics and the advantages of having the interest of the country at heart while they discharge their duties.

    Secondly, the Civil Service Commission, the Code of Conduct Bureau, SERVICOM, the Public Complaints Commission and other bodies that are statutorily charged to ensure ethical conduct and practices should be manned by people of integrity who are wholeheartedly committed to the task of uprooting moral decadence in the country. These agencies should be well funded, independent and supported by both public and private sectors in carrying out the onerous duty for bringing about the desired ethical renaissance across the Nigerian populace.

    Equally important is the need for the country’s judiciary to be truly independent and incorruptible. This important arm of government, which interprets law, should live above board in all its activities. As a deterrent to any judge with corrupt disposition, stiff sanctions should be spelt out for any proven manipulation of judgment. The judiciary should be the last hope of the common man. But in many cases, it is not so in Nigeria. The rich are often favoured at the expense of the poor. This has allowed criminals with the wherewithal or well-heeled godfathers to get away with their evil acts. No individual should be bigger than the law. In this case, the government must demonstrate the political will at all times to investigate and bring to justice the rich who are behind most of the crimes that have been perpetrated in this country.

    Last but not the least, government at all levels must take the welfare of public servants seriously. Salaries and allowances of workers must be paid as at when due. No matter may be the efforts of government on the orientation of its citizenry, particularly the workers, these efforts will count for nothing if their salaries are not paid regularly. This is so because no hungry worker will reject bribe. It is therefore imperative for government to put in place a long-term plan that will prevent its frequent inability to pay workers’ salaries regularly. No nation can experience developmental strides without the wholehearted commitment and loyalty of its workforce.

    • Bamigbetan is of the National Commisiion for Museums and Monuments, Owo, Ondo State.
  • Ikeja Electric rolls out programmes for efficient service delivery

    Ikeja Electric rolls out programmes for efficient service delivery

    The Ikeja Electric has begun the roll out of two vital programmes – Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) and Customer Enumeration, Technical Audit and Asset Mapping (CETAAM), aimed at ensuring that customers are metered, and get quality service.

    The Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) targets the metering of all customers with smart meters and the Company targets installation of 300,000 meters in the next three years.

    Chief Executive officer, Ikeja Electric, Mr. Abiodun Ajifowobaje said the roll out of the smart meters, which started last month, represents a remarkable step in the company’s quest for redefining service delivery in the sector. This development resonates with our new spirit, new drive and new energy identity, as we strive to create value for our customers, he added

    Ajifowobaje told reporters in Lagos that the meter roll out started in September with the installation of 6000 meters after the successful completion of the pilot scheme of the advanced meter installation phase which began in June this year. The Ikeja Electric is set to commence with the second phase of the project; the mass roll out of the meters. These meters are designed to enhance efficient energy usage and transparent billing in real time, he added

    According to him, the company aims to install 10,000 meters this month, and will be able to attain the peak monthly installation of 15,000 meters by December. He said the scope of the metering project is to deploy approximately 300,000 electric meters for Ikeja Electric’s residential, commercial and industrial customers between September 2015 and December 2016 in mapped out areas in all the Business Units of the Company.

    Ajifowobaje noted that Ikeja Electric’s Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) is a state-of-the-art technology that enables utilities to read, disconnect and connect meters remotely and to detect individual customer outages quickly using a wireless communications network. The metering project will replace today’s meters with “next generation” electronic meter technology that improves customer service and enables customers to proactively manage their energy use and save money by giving them the power to control how much electricity they use against how much electricity they pay for.

    According to the Ikeja Electric chief, the scope of the metering project is to deploy approximately 300,000 electric meters for Ikeja Electric’s residential, commercial and industrial customers between September 2015 and December 2016 with installation of about 12,000 meters monthly in already mapped out areas in all the Business Units of the Company. With the metering project, the issue of estimation will be totally eradicated through improved billing. The customers will also be able to track the usage of electricity and eliminate energy wastage, he said.

    To also improve quality of service, Ikeja Electric has started Customer Enumeration, Technical Audit and Asset Mapping (CETAAM) project across its network .The project is slated to run from October 2015 to April, 2016.

    The project will involve mapping the location of each of the electrical network entities from the 132KV/33KV and 11KV systems to the distribution transformers and poles.  Ajifowobaje said: “It is going to be a thorough project that will ensure a solid foundation for efficient, equitable and transparent power supply to the esteemed customers of Ikeja Electric.

  • ‘Why service delivery in pension plan is crucial in Africa’

    Service delivery in pension plan will drive growth in the African pension industry, strategy development and implementation expert, Muibat Ijaiya has said.

    Ijaiya who is a partner with Strategy Management Partners, spoke on service delivery in pension plans at a pension forum in Abuja.

    She said customer experience has  direct impact on growth, noting that in a connected digital world, it pays to get the customer experience right.

    According to her, there is need to design a service delivery model and in doing this, it is essential to consider a desired customer experience for  pension participants at each point of interaction.

    She stressed that this include a true combination of a blue-print and best practice, where the administrative and operational essentials linked to the needs of the participants is showcased.

    She said: “Ideas on communications tools and concepts, can be adopted to realise the participants’ best understanding of pensions and control of their financial wellbeing. This would be key components, essential information blocks and new ways of participant’s involvement.

    “On service delivery, a set of integrated activities, processes, procedure, teams and systems among others should be combined to provide services to customers. It is much broader than customer service; which is a component of it. It is also not a one-size fit all.”

    She noted that in designing a service delivery model with customer experience at its heart, the experience must reflect the brand promise consistently.

    “We must develop strong understanding of the different segments of current and potential participants; their needs, limitations, challenges and desired outcomes. Define a service delivery model and structure the interactions. Be clear about the customer experience to be delivered at each stage of pathway, how and by whom.

    “Delivery location should be defined by participants’ needs and not that of the provider. Their role should not be passive. Use appropriate tools & forums to continuously engage, gather feedback and co-create experience solutions that delight.

    “Identify and address the root causes of problems that have high potential to undermine customer experience. Service boundaries will evolve. Periodically review and align the structure, operations, systems, teams and processes that are critical for delivering on the customer experience,” she added.