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Tag: Dr. Osagie Ehanire

  • How Edo celebrated Oyegun

    The Edo State Government has celebrated the 80th birthday of the state’s first Executive Governor, Chief John Odigie Oyegun with pomp and ceremony. The elaborate ceremony held in Benin-City.

    The streets of Bénin-City and the city centre, the Oba Ovoranmen Square were adorned with birthday poster of Chief Oyegun, who is the oldest serving former governor in the state. His administration was truncated by General Sani Abacha and he fled into exile to join the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) movement.

    As part of activities to celebrate the birthday, a golf tournament was organised and the tee-off was attended by prominent citizens such as the state Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, Minister designate, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and Senator Domingo Obende, among others.

    Prizes were given to winners at a colourful ceremony held at the Bénin Golf Club.

    Addressing reporters in Benin-City, Chief Oyegun thanked God for his life, expressing delight that God has kept him alive to celebrate 80 years of age.

    He described the golf tournament as a great honour to him and one he will remember for long. He said: “Most of my friends are golfers and they chose to celebrate with me this way. I thank them all; Benin Club and the Edo State Government for backing and funding this competition. This is a great honour to me at 80 years.”

    Shaibu explained that the golf tournament for the state’s first civilian governor was to honour his contributions to national development.

    “We chose to celebrate Oyegun with this golf tournament because golf is a game of life and friendship. We thank God for his life. As a government, we will continue to tap from his experience,” he said.

    On Monday, the Saint Paul Catholic Church was filled to its capacity as traditional rulers, politicians from different political parties, ordinary citizens and professionals from various walks of life converged to celebrate Chief Oyegun. It was an event that was beamed live to the world.

    Traffic officers had a hectic time controlling cars that were arriving at the venue.

    In his homily, Bishop of the Benin Diocese of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Obiora Akubeze, said Oyegun was a rare bred politician that joins politics not to confuse the people but to convince the electorates.

    Bishop Akubeze described Oyegun as the best politician Nigeria has produced and man that is living out his faith.

    He said: “I salute the courage, audacity and goodwill of Chief Oyegun. He is one of the few former governors I know that are living out their faith. He is a member of St Vincent Society of St Paul Parish. He sits with members to screen people who have come to ask for assistance. His position has never made him inaccessible to anyone. He is one of the most easily accessed highly placed politicians. He does not ignore a person. He respects both the poor and the rich.

    “Oyegun has shown that we must thank God always. We must learn to thank God for His benevolence towards us. Whenever we received what we want, we never go back to thank God.

    “Peace comes from justice. Our political leaders must know that anyone who wants peace must work for justice. Our political leaders must work for justice for every Nigerians irrespective of political parties, ethnicity and religious backgrounds.

    Justice brings peace. Nations only develop when there is peace. If we want Nigeria to develop, we must work for justice so that we can have peace.”

    Governor Godwin Obaseki said the state government sponsored the birthday celebration in line with the spirit of Nigeria’s national anthem that “the labour of past heroes shall never be in vain.

    ”At present, we are here to celebrate our own Chief Odigie-Oyegun. On behalf of the people and Government of Edo State, I want to congratulate you on your 80th birthday.

    “For your contributions and what you have done for our dear state, I have decided to name the public service academy, which is under construction, after you. We know your passion for public service; we know and acknowledge the contributions you made to public service in Nigeria. “Therefore, we have decided to name the edifice which will be completed within the next 60 days, by the grace of God, after you. President Muhammadu Buhari will come to inaugurate the academy, with you standing beside him. It will be known as the John Odigie-Oyegun Institute for Public Administration.”

    The institute, according to the governor, is on “three floors and is made up of large training rooms that will host 220 people. Two halls hold 118 people each. There are seven training halls that will host 58 people each.  There is a library, a sick bay, a cafeteria and 12 offices. This facility at any point in time can hold and train a minimum of 900 people. It will be the largest facility for training public servants in Nigeria.”

    National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Uche Secondus, described Oyegun as a national leader that must be celebrated.

    Secondus said the birthday was attended by leaders of various political parties because of what Oyegun represented and believed in.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose speech was read by Gideon Ikhine, an Engineer, said Chief Oyegun earned his confidence as military President between 1976 and 1979 through dint of hard work and resourcefulness.

    Chief Obasanjo said Oyegun demonstrated rare qualities of commitment and courage by always upholding the cherished tradition of the public service and his performance as Permanent Secretary on Economic Matters was outstanding.

    He said Oyegun deployed sound knowledge and wealth of experience in economic development matters such that the administration’s policies were appreciated and understood by the populace.

    Former Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said Oyegun distinguished himself as a career civil servant and the celebration was to give honour to who honour is due.

    Other dignitaries that attended the event were wife of Edo State Governor Mrs. Betsy Obaseki; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and his wife, Betty Akeredolu; Edo State Deputy Governor, Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Frank Okiye; the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esohe Ikponmwen, Minister Designate, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq; National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus; representatives of Benin monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II; former Edo State Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion; Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, Esama of Benin Kingdom, Commissioners and members of Edo State House of Assembly, among others.

  • Ehanire commissions solar powered electricity system in Abuja

    As part of plans to improve basic healthcare in Nigeria, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has commissioned a solar-powered electricity system at the Dutse Alhaji Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Bwari Area Council of Abuja.

    Speaking during the commissioning recently, Ehanire, who was represented by the Director, Public Private Partnership Unit, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Omobolale Olowu said it was a pilot project initiated and executed by the PVWater, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Capital Territory Administration as PPP was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy on healthcare.

    He said: “This installation provides solar – generated electricity and treated water which is safe for drinking, the provision of electricity and clean water are essential to service provision in any healthcare centre, and integral to diseases prevention and health promotion.

    “The project is unique as it is one of the few water projects providing treated water to the health facility and community.”

    He commended PVWater and the FCTA for their technical support toward the ministry’s effort to revitalise PHCs across the country.

    Earlier, in his remarks, Minister of Federal Capital Territory,  Alhaji Muhammad Bello, represented by the Secretary, Health and Human Services, FCTA, Mallam Adamu Bappah, said

    “Dutse Alhaji PHC is one of the busiest facilities in the community and provides essential maternal and child healthcare services such as antenatal and postnatal care, delivery services, immunisation, laboratory services, among others.’’

    He pledged that the project would be extended to other PHC facilities in other area councils in the FCT.

    In his welcome address, the PVWater International Ltd, Nigeria, Dr. Anthony Ighodaro thanked the minister of state health for the opportunity given to him to establish innovative system on the premises of the PHC, where its services would be available to the community.

  • FG, Partners working to tackle Noma in Nigeria

    The Federal Government says it is working with the World Health Organisation African Region (WHO Afro) and other partners on the best strategy to tackle Noma scourge in Nigeria.

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made this known at an event to commemorate the 2018 National Noma Day.
    Ehanire said elimination of Noma in Nigeria, and by extension the West African sub-region, is a task for all stakeholders.

    He added that ministry would involve the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), dental professionals and other healthcare providers in respect of surveillance, management and rehabilitation of the affected people.

    The minister said the ministry was also working with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in respect of health promotion and awareness creation on Noma in the country.

    Ehanire said prevention and early detection of this devastating disease, like of many other disease conditions in Nigeria, were given high priority, to reduce incidence and improve the chances of those who contract.

    The minister noted that the second commemoration of the National Noma Day which was aimed at raising awareness of Noma in Nigeria was done in collaboration with Medicines Sans Frontiers and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    Read Also: Fed Govt targets five million youths for nomadic education

    Noma, otherwise known as Cancrum Oris, is a fulminating, gangrenous infection of soft tissue around the mouth, predominantly affecting younger persons with poor oral hygiene and predisposing serious illness.

    “Epidemiological data on Noma is still scarce, but a current estimate of the global incidence is some 30,000 to 40,000 cases per year.

    “It has a mortality rate of approximately 85 per cent and a disease burden estimated to cost anywhere between one and 10 million disability-adjusted life years,’’ he said.

    Ehanire said Noma was a scourge of communities with poor environmental sanitation and hygiene practices, occurring as a result of a complex, not fully yet understood interaction between poor nutrition, infection and immunodeficiency.

    He added that common diseases like malaria, measles, severe diarrhoea and particularly, necrotising ulcerative gingivitis commonly precede the development of Noma.

    “In the acute stage, it can be managed relatively easily by administering antibiotics, which may prevent or limit the extent of gangrene.

    “Noma can be prevented by a combination of common measures like creating more national awareness of the disease, reducing poverty, improving hygiene, sanitation and nutrition,’’ he said.

    The representative of WHO Nigeria, Dr Clement Peter, said the Regional Noma Control Programme was re-launched in 2010 to support countries with Noma within the African region.

    He added that Hilfsaktion Noma e.V has been supporting the WHO Regional programme since 2013, adding Nigeria joined the regional programme in 2016, bringing the number of countries being supported to 10.

    He said the WHO’s strategy to fight against Noma is based on a 5-prong strategy, including prevention and early detection, immediate care, informing and educating the public.

    Others are epidemiological data collection and the creation of a referral centre for treating its after effects.
    He said WHO has been supporting the ministry in its fight against Noma in Nigeria.

    According to him, some of the support include the development of a triennial action plan for Noma, supported the maiden edition of the first No Noma day.

    Other supports are stakeholder meetings, supported the national training of trainers for healthcare workers/social actors and produced training manuals, and IEC materials to improve early diagnosis and management of Noma cases at primary healthcare level.

    Peter said integration of Noma activities into other key programmes such maternal and child health, vaccination, nutrition, Neglected Tropical Diseases within the Ministry of Health were also critical to controlling this scourge.

    NAN

  • Health experts urge govts to focus on primary healthcare

    Health experts urge govts to focus on primary healthcare

    To improve quality and reduce cost of accessing healthcare, federal and state governments should direct reforms and policies to deliver primary healthcare, provide health insurance for the poor and allow for private sector actors to handle tertiary and emergency healthcare.

    This was the submission of experts during the plenary on social welfare targeted at healthcare at the Alaghodaro Investment Summit, organised at the weekend by the Edo State Government, in Benin City.

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who was the discussion leader at the plenary, said that the Edo State government is on the verge of domesticating the National Health Act, noting that the move will greatly improve healthcare delivery in the state.

    According to him, “Not only is the Edo State government on the verge of domesticating the National Health Act, it is also working to have a health insurance scheme that will cover all. The state will also serve as a pilot for the implementation of the primary healthcare programme.”

    Former Chief Medical Director at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Michael Ibadin, said that there was need for more private sector participation in healthcare delivery.

    Arguing that the dominance of government in health sector has stifled growth, he said, “We can improve healthcare delivery when we get more private sector participation. When we do this, we would have less incessant strikes. There is evidence that private hospitals are delivering good services. But most people have been left to suffer because a lot of people depend on service in public hospitals. We need this trend to change.”

    Dr. Christopher Otabor of Alliance Hospital, Abuja, said that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s experience in the private sector is one of the greatest assets he is bringing to governance, noting that government should provide guarantees that will allow people access healthcare cost-efficiently.

    “When it appears healthcare is anchored on private sector investment and accessing services is hard for the poor, government can provide insurance. The stage is being set in Edo State for this. Government doesn’t necessarily have to bring money to fund hospitals. It can provide guarantees and ensure that there is a stable environment for hospitals to thrive,” he said.

    Prof. Jonny Ikimalo of Prime Hospital said that the reason for poor health indices in Nigeria is due to poor budgetary allocations, condemning the fact that a lot of people have to pay for services out of their pockets when they are already in hospitals.

    According to him, “Healthcare is expensive and I have a problem when people talk about health insurance for the poor. People think that anything that relates with insurance is expensive because what we ordinary associate with insurance are cars, life and the likes. We should rather call it health plans. Healthcare is a social responsibility. So, much as we suggest that government should allow private investment, it should also provide cover for the poor.

    “What I understand from the visionary stance of the state governor, is that the state is already putting in place a health insurance scheme which will provide health coverage for everybody, including the underprivileged. I think it is work in progress and it is expected that this summit will make input into it.”

    Rev. Fr. Anslem Adodo of Pax Herbal Clinic noted that there was need to promote traditional medicine in the quest to attain universal health coverage, noting, “One of the surest means to provide healthcare to the people is to recognise the place of traditional healthcare. But to do this, we must reform and integrate traditional medicine in our health system in Edo State.”

  • Measles: FG earmarks N3.5bn, target 33m under five children

    Measles: FG earmarks N3.5bn, target 33m under five children

    Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has revealed that, the federal government has set aside N3.5 billion for measles vaccination of 33 million under five children across the country.

    The minister told journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday shortly after he demonstrated the vaccination at Miyetti Allah primary healthcare centre, Rigasa, Igabi local government area of Kaduna State that, N2.5 billion has already being released to ensure the success of the programme.

    Represented by the Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the minister said, the early release of N2.5 billion has enabled the ministry to make adequate preparation for the success of the vaccination between now and early 2018.

    According to him, “measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children especially those under five years of age. Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines, Nigeria accounts for the highest burden of measles globally with 3.3 million unimmunized children.

    “This is due to persistently low routine immunization coverage and the fact that several measles supplemental immunization campaigns conducted to provide a second opportunity to reach unimmunized children has failed to achieve the required 95 percent coverage.

    “The federal ministry of health is however confident that, this 2017/2018 campaign will be different going by the high quality preparation and financial commitment by all levels of government.

    “The sum of N3.5 billion was earmarked for this measles vaccination campaign across the country. But N2.5 billion has been released to enable us adequately prepare for the exercise and that is a signal that, the exercise will be a huge success.

    “We are here in Kaduna flagging-off the campaign for the Northwest. For this zone, it will run between Thursday 9th and Wednesday 15th November while we have stagger campaign in the other zones between now and 2018″, he stressed.

    Declaring the exercise open earlier, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said, 1,498,332 children in the state are expected to be vaccinated during the one week exercise.

    El-Rufai, who spoke through his deputy, Arch. Barnabas Bala Bantex reiterated the commitment of his administration towards provision of quality healthcare services to the people of the state as evident in prompt release of N38, 402,675 as counterpart funding from the state for the exercise.

    According to the governor, “we have released our counterpart funding to ensure each child is vaccinated so they can be prevented from preventable killer diseases.

    “Measles is highly contagious. It can kill children directly through weakening their immune system. Immunising our children remains one of the cost effective means of curbing under five mortality rate in our state and the country.

    “I want to use this medium to appeal to our people to join us in this campaign by avail their children for the exercise because it is a collective action towards survival of our children. The vaccines have been certified okay by WHO and NAFDAC which means, they are safe for the children”, he assured.

  • FG flags off 2017/2018 national measles vaccination campaign

    FG flags off 2017/2018 national measles vaccination campaign

    The Federal Government will Tuesday flag off the 2017/2018 National measles campaign.

    Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire will flag off the campaign in Kaduna state.

    The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib announced this in Abuja Monday in a statement issued by Mr.Saadu Salahu Head, Public Relation Unit, NPHCDA.

    Dr. Faisal said that a total of 33 million Nigerian children aged 9months to 59months are to be immunized against measles by the end of the campaign. He disclosed that 95% coverage is the Federal Government`s target for the 2017/2018 campaign, against the 84.5% coverage attained in the 2015 campaign.

    Read: FG to launch new Family Planning Campaign

    The Executive Director explained that the measles vaccine would be administered to children aged 9 months to 59 months at health centers, fixed health posts, churches, mosques, motor parks, public places, schools and homes.

    Dr. Faisal disclosed that a time table phasing and staggering the campaign had been introduced as part of the efforts to ensure highest quality, coverage and effective measles campaign in the country.

    According to him, North West Zone will conduct its own campaign from 9th to 21st of this month. It will be followed by the North East from 30th November to 12th December, 2017, while the North Central campaign will take place from 1st to 20th February, 2018. All states in the Southern part of the country will conduct their measles vaccination campaign from 8th to 20th March, 2018.

    Dr. Faisal described measles as a dangerous and infectious disease that spreads rapidly from one infected child to another and a major cause of blindness, malnutrition and death among children. He therefore appealed to all Parents, Guardians, Caregivers and Nigerians in general to make their children and wards available for the measles vaccination campaign.

    Among personalities expected at the flag off are the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III other traditional and religious leaders, members of the National Assembly, NGOs and Civil Society organizations.

    Read Also: Military not involved in vaccination – FG

  • Monkeypox hit Abuja as FG confirms six fresh cases

    Monkeypox hit Abuja as FG confirms six fresh cases

    The Federal Government has confirmed six new cases of the MonekyPox virus in the country, with one case recorded in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of State for Health, made this known in a statement by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director of Media and Public Relations, Ministry of Heath.

    Akinola said apart from the one recorded in Abuja, two cases were confirmed each in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom while Enugu State had one case.

    Ehanire also said investigations were ongoing to see if any of the new cases has a link with the Bayelsa cluster, where the outbreak started.

    He further called for calm among members of the public, adding that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is working with all affected states to ensure case finding and adequate management.

    He added that as frightening as the manifestation of the ailment might seem, no fatality has been recorded to date. As of Oct. 25, a total of 94 suspected cases have been reported from 11 states, (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Rivers and Abuja).

    He said patients of the newly confirmed cases were already being managed by public health authorities and have been receiving appropriate clinical care.

    He said Ministry, through NCDC, was in close contact with all State Epidemiology Teams, and the health facilities providing clinical care to both suspected and confirmed cases.

    He added that State Commissioners of Health have been advised to place all health care facilities and Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers on alert, to ensure early case detection, reporting and effective treatment.

    Read also: Monkey Pox victim commits suicide in Bayelsa hospital

    The minister said a National-level Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) led by the NCDC with support from our development partners, was coordinating outbreak investigation and response across affected states.

    He added the EOC included the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as experts from partner agencies.

     

  • Ogba Zoo bloodbath: How three policemen were killed – Witnesses

    Ogba Zoo bloodbath: How three policemen were killed – Witnesses

    Details have emerged on how three policemen detailed to protect fun seekers at the Ogba Zoo and Nature Park were gunned down by five heavily armed men.

    Arms and ammunition belonging to the policemen were collected while the Executive Director of the Zoo, Dr. Andy Ehanire was abducted

    Andy is a brother to the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.

    Some eyewitnesses and workers of the Zoo who were present during the attack described the scene as horrible.

    They said the policemen attempted to flee when the attackers opened fire on them and shot them severally at their back.

    It was learnt that the attackers entered the Zoo as fun seekers at different times, bought drinks and opened conversion with the policemen while one of them also took time to talk with Dr. Ehanire.

    Fun seekers at the zoo during the attack fled through the fence to scale the barb wire fence.

    When our reporter visited the zoo, blood stains of the slain policemen were being washed away.

    Speaking on the incident, a staff who gave her name as Helen Juchei said the assailants bought drinks for the policemen before the attack.

    She said one of the assailants acted as informant.

    According to her, “Yesterday after I finished my normal duty in the morning, people were just entering the zoo. And at this time, my boss has not come. We usually come before our boss and when he eventually came at about 1pm, it was now my turn to take over my duty, I went to tell him that I that I was having a birthday party to attend and that was how he granted me the permission and I left for the birthday hoping to come back to assume duty later in the day.

    “When I eventually came back at about 6pm, I met three policemen lying dead on the ground. I was very shock and what I saw after was people running for safety and the boss taken away.

    “It was those whom we met at the scene that told us what happened. They said the kidnappers paid to enter the zoo with a torn money which was rejected by the cashier at the gate.

    “When the money was rejected, he went back to get a better money to pay the entrance fee.

    “At this time, their informants have already gained entrance into the zoo as fun seekers.

    “When the informants have finally studied the terrain, one of the informants decided to engage our director with conversation.

    “Our boss started telling him his plans to put up a world tourism day and as one of them engaged my boss in a conversation, the other one went straight to the security personnel and asked him if they have not close for the day and decided to order for drink for the officers providing security for the zoo

    “This was what those who were there told us. So they bought them Heineken and as they laid down their guns to drink, that was when the hoodlums opened fire on them and killed the three police officers.

    “We have not heard any information about the whereabouts of our boss”, she narrated.

    Another staff of the Zoo, Mr. Zontondji Emmanuel narrated that the hoodlums shot at the police officers without sparing any of them.

    ” I was on duty, I resumed by 5:30pm and as I came in, I went round to inspect the animals and the visitors on ground. And after having done that, I came back to the reception where the Executive Director was sitting down and there was another one sitting at this end. There were two policemen sitting by him. So I went outside to observe the outside.

    “At the outside, I saw an Audi 80 Car parked and suddenly, I saw three men coming out with guns and one of them wearing a bullet proof vest and I thought that they were normal police who usually come here for normal security reasons.

    “Suddenly, I saw them running into the zoo premises which are very unusual and when they entered, they started shooting immediately. So, all of us outside started running for our dear lives.

    “And I was calling on people running to give us police numbers; nobody was ready to stop because they were all afraid.

    “But at the time I watched from afar and I saw that the men were going out with my director. They went into the Audi Car and zoomed away. And I now came into the zoo premises and I saw the three policemen who were supposed to be guarding the director were lying dead on the ground.

    “After that, the DPO now came to take the dead bodies away. Everything happened at about5:40pm,” Emmanuel said.

    At the family residence of Dr. Ehanire, family members were seen to be shocked about the incident.

    They refused comments and said what they needed at the moment was prayer for the deceased cops and the safe release of their family member.

    State Police Commissioner, Mr. Haliru Gwandu, who visited the zoo for on the spot assessment said the killers of the three police officers were militants.

    Gwandu vowed that the killers would soon be arrested.

    “It was an unfortunate incidence. We lost three of our personnel. This is the activities of the militants because of the high sea now.

    “They came and unfortunately killed our policemen but we are on the trail of the hoodlums. We are able to recover the vehicles they used to perpetrate the act. We are using all the available means including the high tech to fish out the perpetrators.

    “They cannot go Scot free. Let me assure the general public in Edo State that we are on top of the situation and that they should go about their normal duty. All hands are on deck to ensure that the hoodlums are fished out”, he said.

  • Edo to domesticate National Health Act

    Edo to domesticate National Health Act

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo says his administration will domesticate the National Health Act in order to boost health care delivery in the state.

    Obaseki spoke on Monday night in Benin, after a two-day workshop organised by the state government with the theme: `Remodeling Health Care Delivery in Edo State: New Vision, New Horizon.’

    Dr Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of State for Health, chaired the workshop.

    The governor said that the state house of assembly should be able to examine the provisions of the Act and got it domesticated within 90 days.

    The governor also disclosed that a health master plan would be finalised for the state based on the recommendations of the workshop.

    He said a team would be drawn from the participants at the workshop to help formulate the health master for the state.

    Obaseki stressed the commitment of his administration to remodel the state’s health sector.

    ’’We must begin to see our health system as an ecosystem where resources can easily flow between the public and private health sectors.

    ‘’We are ready to have consultations on how to collaborate private providers into our state’s health plan.

    “I am prepared to open up the reconstructed Central Hospital and give it to whoever will be able to manage the facility”, he said

    The governor also called on health practitioners to explore the potentials of traditional medicine as a way of complementing conventional medicine.

    In his remarks, Ehanire said providing affordable basic primary health care was necessary in order to reduce preventable deaths in the state.

    He also stressed the need to make health care services more affordable, especially at the rural communities, and appealed to the state to implement a health insurance scheme.

  • Labour, FG on collision course over violation of Public Service Rule

    Labour, FG on collision course over violation of Public Service Rule

    Organised Labour are set for a possible showdown with the Federal Ministry of Health over the decision to reinstate the Medical Director of the Federal a Medical Centre, Owerri, Dr. Angela Uwakwem in contravention of the Public Service Rules.

    Labour is accusing the Minister of State, Dr. Osagie Ehanire who over sees Federal Medical Centres across the country of contravening public service rule 030406 by reinstating Dr.Uwakwem five days after she was formally arraigned before an Owerri High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) along with two others.

    In reinstating her, the Ministry had said that after due consultation, they found out that Dr. Uwakwem has not committed any offence.

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba told newsmen in Abuja that organised Labour was surprised that the Minister would order the reinstatement of a public officer who was undergoing criminal trial for fraud instead of interdicting her.

    Wabba explained that the public service rules stipulate where a prima facie case has been established against a public officer, such an officer shall be interdicted.

    He said that rather than interdicting her, the minister of State wrote a letter asking her to resume duty as the Medical Director of the Centre and given a full complement of security agents that led her into the FMC, Owerri despite protest by the five unions at the centre.

    Wabba said: “there were two issues in contention at the FMC, Owerri. Last year, we succeeded in resolving the industrial relation issue and referred the one that has to do with corruption and mismanagement of resources to the relevant agency of government which is the EFCC for investigation.

    “She was then suspended from office, while a caretaker management was put in place. We did not even know that investigations were ongoing. The EFCC concluded their investigations and established a prima facie case against her. She was formally arraigned in court on an 18 count charge on October 11, 2016.

    “To our surprise, five days later, the Minister of State for Health wrote a letter asking her to return to her duty post from the suspension she embarked upon last year and we felt that something is wrong somewhere because the is against the rules.

    “She went to the hospital with security men, including Mobile Police and right now, she is threatening the whistle  lower who wrote the petition against her and all the witnesses listed against her by the EFCC. Together with my counterpart in the TUC, we went to the senior Minister, Prof, Adewale to complain and he claimed he was not aware and that we should get a copy of the court papers for him.

    “We have obtained a certified True copy of the suit filed against her by the EFCC and my colleague in the TUC has forwarded it to the Minister. All we are saying is that government must live by example. They should not been seen to be going against the laws of the land.

    “Infact, rule 030409 of the civil service rules require her to her to inform her employers who, in this case is the Ministry of Health that she has been charged to court. She has not done this”.

    “We are going to write to the President, the Presidential Committee on Corruption, the Minister of Justice and other relevant agencies of government putting them on notice. If nothing is done about this, we will have no option than to protest.”

    Wabba said reinstating her back to her position as Medical Director of the Centre while she is undergoing g trial can impede the course of Justice as it may give her the opportunity to tamper with evidence against her as well as intimidate witnesses.

    He said “immediately she resumed duty, she queried the staff who petitioner her and threatened the witnesses listed against her. She has even threatened not to pay their salaries”.

    Wabba said reinstating Dr. Uwakwem when a case of corruption has been established against her will rubbish the anti-corruption crusade of the zhuhai administration and warned that the union will not accept such an action.