Tag: Kwara State government

Kwara State Government has said it has reached over 1.6million children with Vitamin A, compared to over 100,000 children reached in 2020.

Governor AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq said this in Ilorin at the inauguration of 83 revitalised primary health care centres across the state.

He added: “This was made possible with funding from the state government, World Bank-supported IMPACT Project, Basic HealthCare Provision Funds and Leadership Challenge Funds won by the state.

“It is always heart-warming to say Kwara State remains the safest place to be born in the country.

We also continue to see improved Nigeria with the lowest under-five mortality rate.

“This boldly speaks to our commitment to giving quality health care to every citizen of the state, regardless of where they live.

“We inherited a primary health care system that was in a state of extreme disrepair with far-reaching consequences on the people.

“We, however, refused to accept this as our reality. Instead, we worked in partnership with stakeholders like the World Bank, especially the IMPACT project, UNICEF and others through enhanced commitment and prompt payment of counterpart funding.

“Each of these facilities has been renovated to new standards. Expectant mothers will no longer need to travel long distances to access antenatal care and safe delivery services.

Children will receive timely immunisations and treatment for common childhood illnesses.

Our youths will have access to reproductive health information and services. Our elderly people will receive care for chronic conditions closer to home.

“The improvement in health outcomes witnessed in the state spurs us to do more through additional recruitment into the health workforce and improved welfare.”

Read Also: Tinubu vows deeper faith-leader engagements to curb conflict, promote peaceful coexistence

Executive Secretary of the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, said improvement in the state had led to increase number of patients visiting the PHCs.

Said she: “As at today, we have recorded over 722,000 outpatients visiting our PHCs, compared to 8,020 in 2020. Over 500,000 expectant mothers reached with haematinics, compared to 30,000 deliveries recorded 2020.

“These are not just statistics; they represent people whose future has been secured due to the lifesaving services we provide.

“This achievement belongs to all of us- our state government, development partners and most importantly, the communities who have embraced these facilities as their own.

“We recognise that revitalisation is the beginning, not the end. We are committed to

sustaining these gains, expanding coverage and ensuring every resource invested

translates into lives saved.

“This achievement represents far more than renovated buildings and new equipment.

“It represents our renewed commitment to bringing quality health care to the doorsteps of our people.

We are reaching mothers who previously delivered at home without skilled birth attendants.

“We are reaching communities that were once beyond the last mile. Every mother, child and family who now has access through these revitalised facilities is a testament to what we can accomplish through strategic partnership and shared vision.”

Kwara State Government yesterday said it would carry out routine immunisation antigens on 997,863 children, who were due in the state.

It added that no fewer than 207,885 expectant mothers would also benefit from its tetanus toxoid vaccines immunisation.

Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (KWS PHCDA), Prof. Nusirat Elelu, said this in Ilorin at the commencement of integrated health outreach.

She said the services “we will provide are comprehensive and integrated.

“It is not just about one intervention; it is about the well-being of our people. We will provide all routine immunisation antigens for children who are due, tetanus toxoid vaccines for expectant mothers and adolescent girls, general health consultations, including screening for blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI and nutrition related services. There will be robust system referrals to high-level care needed. These services target 166,309 under one year of age and 831,554 children under five years.

“To achieve this,” Prof Elelu added that “we will deploy a multi-pronged strategy made up of teams of over 1,500 health workers to ensure we reach every eligible Kwarans.

Read Also: Why Tinubu’s administration introduced NELFUND – Information Minister

“Our teams will be stationed at fixed posts, which is our 193 apex primary health care centres for regular services. Our outreach teams will also be deployed in temporary fixed posts, which will be set up in strategic community spaces such as schools, markets and town halls.

“We have also partnered the state Ministry of Livestock to carry out normadic outreach strategy, which is being deployed in remote and undeserved normadic settlements, as a health threat anywhere is health threat everywhere.”

The executive secretary said the mission of the exercise ‘‘is to significantly increase uptake of routine immunisation services across the state.

Our specific target is to achieve greater than 80 per cent coverage for the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine by the fourth quarter of this year.”

“Second, to build and sustain demand for other primary healthcare services such as ante-natal care services by systematically earning your trust and confidence.

“Third, to strengthen our primary healthcare outputs by delivering a package of high-impact interventions directly to the doorsteps of our most vulnerable populations irrespective of location in the third and fourth quarters of 2025.”

She urged all community and religious leaders to “mobilize your members to take full advantage of this programme,” admonishing parents and caregivers to bring their children and their vaccination cards.”

The amicable resolution of the about 17-year-old legal tussle between Kwara State Government and 3,060 pensioners over withheld and deducted N502 million gratuity and pension arrears may be far from sight after all.

The pensioners have turned down the proposed terms of out-of-court settlement being put forward by the state government.

Based on the chequered history of the case, the Appeal Court in 2023 ordered for out-of-court settlement and the parties consented.

The out-court-settlement is being handled by the Court of Appeal Mediation and Conciliation Centre (CAMC) holding in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.

Read Also: Presidency dismisses Peter Obi’s one-term pledge as ‘a lie’

The legal battle started in 2008 when the then Governor Bukola Saraki’s administration unilaterally deducted and withheld 50 per cent of the pensioners’ gratuity and pension arrears.

The pensioners were then entitled to be paid N1.4 billion, but the government of the day paid only half of the amount.

The pensioners, through their counsel,  Timothy Gbadeyan, are contending that a “repayment of the applicants’ deducted and withheld pension and gratuity arrears back to them in 2025 in the sum in which they were paid the first tranche in 2008 is so much devalued.

“The entire 3,060 accredited applicants before the CAMC with their names and amount paid to them in April, 2005, as contained in the prepared list duly exchanged inter parte and endorsed as correct are entitled to receive and or be paid their deducted and withheld pension and gratuity arrears as maybe upwardly reviewed by the state government due to the undeniable devaluation of the Nigerian currency; all the applicants entitled to receive the 50 per cent deducted and withheld pension and gratuity arrears; payment of N36 million to the applicants being cost of prosecuting this action from September 2008 to date since their investment in time, energy and finance revealed to the state government.

“The state government will upset and pay the applicants’ counsel the 10 per cent professional fees of the N1.6 billion claimed by the applicants; all payments to the applicants who are spread everywhere in the world and with so many of the deceased be made through Deji Gbadeyan & co client’s account and a-five man judgment claim verification and payment committee.”

In their response to the state government’s proposal, the pensioners clarified before the mediation centre that “before any payment whatsoever was made in 2008, the 3,060 applicants were entitled to N1.4 billion. In the first tranche in April, 2008, the 3,060 applicants were paid N502 million and deducted and with the remaining N502 million withheld.

“It is, therefore, not correct to say that 50 per cent deducted in 2008 is not N251 million.

“If the need arises, let CAMC subject the amount payable but deducted in 2008 as contained in the aggrieved list of the 3,060 applicants to any form of computation method either through artificial intelligence or any other acceptable method.”

But the state government is proposing payment of 50 per cent of N502 million as gratuity and pension arrears to the retirees.

In his response to the pensioners’ terms of payment, the state Justice Commissioner and Attorney-General, Ibrahim Sulyman, said that “having considered the proposed terms of settlement of the appellants dated March 4, 2025, the following terms of settlement are hereby proposed in the spirit of mediation as encouraged by the court: the payment of 50 per cent of the total amount due to the 3,060 pensioners as calculated by the pension board amounting to N251, 212million as final payment with regards to all issues related to the pensioners in this case; that the approved sum will be paid at once directly into the pensioners’ individual accounts.

The AG rejected the request for the payment of N36 million as cost of litigation, describing it as unacceptable.

He also opposed the demand for the payment of 10 per cent of N1.6 billion as professional fees, claiming it is also unacceptable.

“The judgment claims and verification processes shall be based on the agreed list of 3,060 duly cleared and verified by the pension board and; that this proposal represents the stand and position of the state government on this case for amicable settlement of the case,” the commissioner said.