DEVELOPING: Armed Bandits who invaded Nigerian Military Demand N200million Ransom For Release Of Abducted Officer.

 

The gunmen who abducted Major Stephen Dantong from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Afaka, Kaduna, on Tuesday have demanded a ransom of N200 million from military authorities.

The gunmen invaded the Afaka barracks of the academy around 1am, killing two soldiers identified as Lieutenant Commodore Wulah and Flight Lieutenant Okoronwo.

One of the officers who was injured in the attack is currently being treated at a hospital within the barracks.

According to FIJ, the bandits subsequently contacted the defence academy to initiate negotiation on the payment of ransom to secure the release of Datong.

The gunmen reportedly operated for hours and left without any hindrance.

“They couldn’t kill even one of them,” an NDA source lamented to FIJ. “They searched everywhere in the bush but couldn’t find them. They had fled away with their motorbikes.”

“They have called to ask for N200million to free the Major,” the source also said. “The attack was ridiculous. They came, teased us and left. Even the helicopter hovering in the bush could not track them.”

After the attack, Bashir Muhd Jajira, spokesman for the NDA in Kaduna, said the security architecture of the NDA was compromised by unknown gunmen who gained access into the residential area within the Academy in Afaka.

“During the unfortunate incident, we lost two personnel and one was abducted,” he said.

“The Academy, in collaboration with the 1 Division Nigerian Army and Air Training Command as well as other security agencies in Kaduna State, has since commenced pursuit of the unknown gunmen within the general area with a view to tracking them and rescuing the abducted personnel.”

­

TETFund approves N292.6bn for varsities, polytechnics, education colleges, okays 217 research grants

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund is to disburse a whopping sum of N292.66 billion to selected public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country. 

Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, said the intervention which has been okayed by the Federal Government, would be spread to higher education institutions in each of the six geo-political zones in the country. 

According to the 2021 disbursement plans, TETFund is to give N906.8 million to one university each from the six geo-political zones while N628.4 million will go to one polytechnic and one college of education from each of the six geo-political zones.

Bogoro made this known on Tuesday, while welcoming all heads of beneficiary institutions to a one-day stakeholders briefing, at the Nigeria Airforce Conference Centre, Abuja.

At the briefing session, Bogoro also explained that the responsibility of completing the National Library Project in Abuja has been bestowed on TETFund.

According to him, the library project represents an important national asset that should not be ignored on account of funding challenges. 

Bogoro also stressed the importance of research to national development, saying the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been consistent in approving funds to see that academics churn out quality research that would address emerging challenges bedeviling the country. 

He said this accounted for the setting up of the National Research Fund which has consistently increased from N3 billion to N8.5 billion in recent times.

Professor Bogoro, who expressed delight that Nigeria is moving closer to an emergence of a National Research and Development Foundation, challenged academics in the country to turn around the fortunes of the country through cutting- edge research. 

"Let us apply our innovative research outcome to solve the security problem, let us bring back value addition to the solid minerals that we are blessed with, it is one gold we have not explored to any significant level," he said. 

On the 2021 research grants to lecturers, Bogoro called on the nation’s academics to live up to expectations by churning out good proposals, saying that the Fund is always ready to finance such academic exercise. 

"I have signed the letters of allocation for the research grants that we are issuing out, 217. This is the highest research grant ever. It has never gone beyond 200. We have 217 research grants that have recently been approved,"  Bogoro said. 

Speaking on the recent special allocations by the TETFund's Board of Trustees (BoT), Bogoro revealed that N5 billion each  was approved for University of Lagos (UniLag) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, for massive infrastructural projects' development. 

The TETFund boss said N1 billion was also approved as funds for the completion of special intervention projects for Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and another N1 billion for Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, adding that more tertiary institutions would benefit from the special allocations in not too distant time. 

Bogoro said TETFund is also providing support to boost research activities in Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), among others, to address the nation's security challenges. 

On TETFund's intervention in the health sector, Bogoro stated that the Fund has provided N1 billion to one university each in the six geo-political zones for medical research as well as providing facilities for treatment of major ailments like prostate cancer, kidney problems, among others. 

"With the Urology and kidney facilities made available, we are expecting a number of our teaching hospitals to come up with the capacity, granted that the equipment we provided, they should be able to do kidney transplant etc, in our universities. 

"We intend to continue strengthening some in terms of cancer facilities, urology research clinical facilities and heart facilities," he said. 

The forum also provided Bogoro an opportunity to explain that the Board of TETFund has approved the review of overseas masters and PhD courses/specialization.

According to him, more emphasis would now be placed on masters or PhD programmes that are science based.

Among the overseas masters and PhD courses specializations with effect from August 2021 includes: Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Biosciences, Biomedical Engineering, Material Science and Engineering, Industrial Systems and Engineering, Geosciences, Behavioural Sciences, Nuclear Engineering, Oceanography, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, among others.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of allocation letters to the beneficiary institutions.

65th National Council ON Education Adopts Collaborative Effort On Schools Security

The 65th National Council on Education, (NCE) which took place in Jalingo, Taraba State from the 9th to 13th of August, 2021, has been concluded. 

Ben.  Bem Goong, Director, Press and Public Relations in a statement said The National Council on Education,(NCE) themed: 'Eradicating Out-of-School Children Phenomenon:  A Tool for the Achievement of Education 2030 Agenda’ had in attendance: the Deputy Governor of Taraba State, His Excellency, Engr. Haruna Manu, who represented the Executive Governor of Taraba State, His Excellency Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, fnia, the Honourable Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, represented by the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, OFR, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education (FME), Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, fnia, State Commissioners for Education, Permanent Secretaries of States’ Ministries of Education, representative of Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jummai Adamu, Directors from Federal and State Ministries of Education (SMoEs) the FCT Education Secretariat, Heads of Education Parastatals and Agencies, Chairmen of States’ Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and other stakeholders. 

At the conclusion of the 5-day Council where stakeholders deliberated on ways of moving the nation’s education sector forward, it was agreed that: 

(i) the Federal Ministry of Education, (FME) in collaboration with the States Ministries of Education,(SMoEs),Heads of Tertiary Institutions and Staff/Students Unions and other relevant stakeholders should organise Zonal and National advocacy programmes to improve student enrolment, retention and completion of academic programmes in tertiary institutions on time;

(ii) the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commision, (NUC), National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE), National Commision for Colleges of Education in collaboration with the SMoEs and other relevant stakeholders should monitor Open and Distance Learning (ODL);

(iii) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE, NCCE should conduct Zonal/National Advocacy on improving Open and Distance Learning (ODL) delivery, develop Action Plan/Blueprint and a Stand-alone National Policy for the implementation of ODL in Nigeria;

(iv) the FME in collaboration with SMoEs, Heads of Tertiary Institutions, Employers of labour and other relevant stakeholders should strengthen Education Management Information System (EMIS) for effective data collection and management to develop a data base on the employability of the tertiary educational graduates in Nigeria for effective National planning;

(v) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE, NCCE should conduct skills gap assessment of tertiary education graduates in Nigeria;

(vi) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE, NCCE should adopt an implementable blueprint for employability of tertiary education graduates in the labour market; 

(vii) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE, NCCE should develop a stand-alone National Policy on Skills Development for employability of Tertiary Education graduates in Nigeria;

(viii) the FME in collaboration with NBTE should develop framework/action plan for repositioning Innovation Enterprise Institutions, (IEIs)through Public-Private partnership;

(ix) the FME in collaboration with NBTE should forward a memorandum to Federal Executive Council (FEC) for executive pronouncement on the establishment of Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs);

(x) that a bill be forwarded to National Assembly by the Federal Executive Council for passage of enabling Act on IEIs;

(xi) the FME in collaboration with NBTE should provide technical and financial support for the proprietors of Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs) in the area of infrastructural development, capacity building and National Advocacy for popularization of the institutions; 

(xii) the FME in collaboration with NBTE should encourage the branding of IEIs to reflect uniform nomenclature as a fourth realm of tertiary institution in Nigeria; 

(xiii) the FME, States and the FCT should provide adequate security and protection for teachers in tertiary institutions in the communities that are prone to crises;

(xiv) the  FME should expedite action in the implementation of recommendations on 2014 Needs Assessment to address infrastructural decay and improve the capacity of lecturers in public Polytechnics and Colleges of Education;

(xv) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE and NCCE document students’ drop-out from tertiary institutions and proffer an implementable Action Plan to eradicate drop-out phenomenon and reintegrating drop-out students back to the school system;

(xvi) the Federal and State Governments should implement all labour laws to stem the spate of strike and frequent disruption of the academic calendar in Nigerian tertiary institutions;

(xvii) the establishment of ICT Department in Education in all SMoEs and States Universal Basic Education Boards, (SUBEB) in 36 States and the FCT for monitoring of the e-teaching and learning and other ICT interventions in Education sector;

(xviii) the FME, States and FCT should implement the reviewed National Policy on Gender in Education and its implementation guidelines;

(xix) the Federal, States and the FCT should Strengthen partnership between Government and the private sectors for the provision of relevant infrastructure for special needs children;

(xx) the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools in Nigeria and its Implementation Guidelines should be used as   reference documents for all Education Stakeholders;

(xxi) the reviewed National Policy on Nigeria Education Management Information System and its Implementation Guidelines as a National working document;

(xxii) the FME, States and the FCT to organise advocacy and sensitisation programmes on the implementation of Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) Laws and Policies across the Federation;

(xxiii) the FME, States and the FCT to domesticate Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) Laws and Policies, appoint SSD Desk Officers and organize capacity building programmes based on the peculiarities in their domains; 

(xxiv) that FME, States and the FCT should accelerate the process of disarticulation of Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in line with the 1-6-3-3-4 National Policy on Education;

(xxv) the FME, States and the FCT should provide adequate infrastructure and gender friendly environment through partnership with relevant stakeholders to advance gender equality in promoting Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Subjects in Senior Secondary Schools;

(xxvi) States and the FCT should set up Task Force to enforce sanctions on parents/guardians whose children/wards are on the streets during school hours;

(xxvii) the FME, States and the FCT to establish e-learning centres for Out-of-School Children and ensure the use of Accelerated Basic Education Curriculum (ABEC) at the centres;

(xxviii) States, the FCT and Ministries of Water Resources should complement the effort of the Universal Basic Education Commision, (UBEC) in funding Water Sanitation and Hygiene, (WASH) programme in all Basic Schools in Nigeria;

(xxix) FME, UBEC, SMoEs, Federal and State Ministries of Justice and the FCT should facilitate a stakeholders’ forum to increase awareness through the use of slogan, flyers, media, in order to ensure all State governments that are yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act to do so;

(xxx) the Anaan Language Curriculum be used for Basic Education;

(xxxi) States and the FCT should extend the Homegrown School Feeding Programme to at least Middle Basic Education level;

(xxxii) FME, States and the FCT to evolve and implement coordinated and sustainable strategic enrolment drive campaign to bring Out-of-School Children into school net as well as ensure retention and completion of Basic education;

(xxxiii) FME, States and the FCT to make admission of learners into Basic Education open ended;

(xxxiv) FME, States and the FCT should ensure the distribution and utilisation of the developed Basic Education Certificate Examination Syllabus to States’ Ministries of Education and the FCT Education Secretariat for immediate implementation;

(xxxv) the FME in collaboration with NERDC should present a memorandum on the developed National Language Policy for presentation to the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) for consideration and approval, as a reference document for use in Nigeria by all stakeholders.

The Council also agreed that “Strengthening of Security and Safety in Nigerian Schools for the achievement of Education 2030 Agenda” would be the theme for the next cycle of Joint Consultative Committee on Education, (JCCE) meetings and the 66th National Council on Education, (NCE) meeting.

The 66thNCE would be hosted by the Yobe State Government in 2022. 

BREAKING: Armed Bandits invade Nigerian Military Academy, Kill 2, Abduct One Officer

APO House Online has learnt the security architecture of  the Nigerian Defence Academy  was compromised  early this morning by unknown gunmen who gained access into  the residential area within the Academy in Afaka. During the unfortunate incident, we lost two personnel and one was abducted.

 Major Bashir jajira, NDA public relations officer, in a statement says The Academy in collaboration with the 1Division Nigerian Army and Air Training Command as well as other security agencies in Kaduna state has since commenced pursuit of the unknown gunmen within the general area with a view to tracking them and rescue the abducted personnel.

The NDA community and Cadets are safe in the Academy. We assure the general public that this unknown gunmen would soon be apprehended and the abducted personnel rescued.

Is it End of The Road For Uche Secondus over PH Court Barring Him As PDP National Chairman?

A High Court in Rivers State has granted an interim order restraining the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Uche Secondus from parading himself as the National Chairman of the party

NIGERIAN GOVT. TRAINS SOUTH-SOUTH YOUTHS IN VOCATIONAL SKILLS

The Federal Government has commenced the training of youths in the South-South zone, in vocational skills and trades to address youth unemployment in that zone.

 

A statement by Mr Charles Akpan,Deputy Director Press, said the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who flagged off the programme in Warri, Delta State today, stated that the training was part of Government's commitment to providing solutions to youth unemployment nationwide, through the *National Training Programme for Youths on Vocational Skills Acquisition/Emerging Trades*.

 

He noted that the training, organised by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, is a nationwide programme to promote skill development targeting the youth, with the South-South region as the first beneficiary.

 

Keyamo disclosed that the programme would train youth of the South-South region in “targeted trades, which are in line with the Skill demands available in the region, with a view to creating employers out of them.”

 

He added that “the programme is organized in batches to accommodate an expected large turnout of participants and to increase its coverage and impact in the region.”

 

According to him, the nationwide training would also “provide relevant information, resources and incentives for the development of skills, entrepreneurship and enterprises necessary for national growth. 

 

“The intervention programme seeks to complement and boost the conventional skills development trainings available at our existing centres nationwide where individuals, corporate organizations, non-governmental organizations, government and private companies send their personnel to learn skills, most of whom are gainfully employed, while others are self-employed and some employers.”

 

The Minister noted that such trainings would not only equip the youths with skills to make a living, as well as create employment for others, but would also lure them away from social vices and crimes.

 

Keyamo stated that the initiative resonated with government's commitment to ensuring youth inclusiveness in its plans and programmes.

 

He further noted that “formal employment has proven to be insufficient, giving rise to an increase in informal employment, which is largely considered as the driving force of most developing countries' economies. This in clear terms necessitates the need for schemes that will equip the youth with specialized skills to empower them for gainful employment both in the formal and informal markets.” 

 

Keyamo emphasised the need for skill acquisition and upgrading, as “it is the bedrock for social and economic development of any nation and would consequently lead to job creation and self-sustenance for the teeming youth.”

 

The Minister urged the participants to make the best of the opportunity given them, as their impressive performance would “spur government to do more in the area of Youth trainings/empowerment and open  doors for employment and wealth creation.”

 

The Director, Skills Development and Certification Department, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Amos Johnson, stated that the training would fill the skill gap and employer needs in the South-South zone.

 

He noted that the Ministry's mandates include developing programmes to promote technical and vocational skills. 

 

Director, South-South Zonal Headquarters, Ehigbai Iziren, noted that the Federal Government's deliberate engagement of the youth in that zone, on quality trainings, skill acquisition and employment would effectively improve the growth and development of that region.

 

He commended the Federal Government for taking such a bold initiative to address the rising youth unemployment situation in that region.

 

NUC: Professor Abubakar Rasheed Resume For Another 5-Year Tenure After Re-appointment As Executive Secretary

The re-appointed Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, has pledged to continue to provide good leadership to the Nigerian University System NUS, as well as the National Universities Commission.

Professor Rasheed made the pledge when he assumed office on Monday 23rd August, after the announcement of his re-appointment by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

Addressing members of the commission, Professor Rasheed stated that the success of the Commission derives it meaning from the meaningful interactions the NUC holds with the Nigerian University System.

Prof Rasheed applauds the National University System for it continued support and  cooperation describing the successful leadership of the system as a product of collective responsibility  .

 “the larger university community that has been growing phenomenally in the last few years  with more federal universities coming on board, more state universities are being established and the number of private universities is also increasing almost every year and in such a way that we almost have 50/50 ratio of all the institutions”

“no one person can claim credit alone for major breakthrough or achievement especially when we talk about leadership of the Nigerian university system ,it is a collective responsibility”

The NUC ES appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for his re-appointment saying the next five years places on him a heavy burden of huge responsibility.

“I am grateful to God Almighty for creating this opportunity , I am also grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for accepting the recommendation of my re-appointment”

“I will not promise anything new but I would rather say that what we have been doing ,we will do our best to conti ue those things we think we have been doing we will do our best to continue ,those things we think we have not been doing well,we should do our best to improve and make them better , those things we are doing wrongly we will do our best to point them out and not do them again”

He appealed for the support of the management of the National Universities Commission as well as the staff saying he hope they will continue to show understanding.

The Deputy Executive Secretary(Academics) of the NUC, Dr. Rahman Yusuf, described the re-appointed Executive Secretary as an administrative Guru, he added that Prof Rasheed has a lot more to offer the Nigerian University system.

 “of course the major beneficiary of this is the revitilisation agenda which the ES Adamu Rasheed started ,a lot of people were heart broken when you left ,we all are glad that you are back to continue”

while pursuing the mandate of the NUC ,Prof. Adamu Rasheed, is the most humane boss anybody can work with”Dr. Rahmon added.

The Deputy ES Christopher Maiyaki, said the receptional nature of the commission of  Prof. Adamu Rasheed portrays continuity.

The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission was received on red carpet with presentation of gifts on his return from various departments of the commission as well as domestic workers of the NUC.

Prof. Adamu Rasheed whose re-appointment took effect 1st of August 2021, is to spend another 5years at the National Universities Commission on a second tenure.

BREAKING: Nigerian Court Compels Striking Doctors To Resume Work immediately, after failed Talks

 

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) this afternoon ordered the striking members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to resume work immediately.

 

The order was made following an Ex-parte motion filed last week Friday by the Federal Ministry of Health, seeking for an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining members of NARD from further continuing the industrial action they embarked upon on August 2, 2021, contrary to Section 41 of the Trade Dispute Act, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

 

The motion brought under Suit No: NICN/ABJ/197/2021 has the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government as 1st and 2nd Claimants/Applicants and NARD as the only Defendant/Respondent.

 

Upon hearing the motion Ex-parte and affidavit in support sworn by Ahmed Nasiru, the Director of Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Health, the presiding judge, Justice J.I Targema granted an order of interlocutory injunction, compelling all members of the Defendants/Respondents in all the States of the Federation to suspend the said industrial action commenced on August 2, 2021, and resume work immediately pending the determination of the substantive suit.

 

The Court held that the continued downing of tools by the striking doctors have inflicted a lot of damage on the health system and the sick especially in this perilous times of COVID-19 pandemic.

Targema further ordered that the Claimant/Applicant and the Defendant/Respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The judge adjourned the matter to September 15, 2021 for the hearing of the motion on notice and any other pending application.

 

Reacting, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Dr Chris Ngige who first conciliated the issue between the NARD and their employers, the Federal Ministry of Health, described the court ruling as a welcome development.

 

Ngige however reassured the affected doctors that the ruiling will not prevent the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHOCSF) and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages and Commission (NSIWC) from the implementation of the agreements contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached at the last meeting with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and affiliate associations with timelines affixed to them.

 

NMA had led three doctors associations to the negotiation that lasted from 2pm on Friday, August 20, 2021 to the early hours of Saturday, August 21, adjourning 2.am and later resumed by 2pm and finally ending by 10.pm.

 

Signed:

Charles Akpan,

Deputy Director, Press,

Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Building Better And Stronger Manners Among Children

APO House Online Searches and brings to us how to inspire manners in children...

1. When entering the house greet your children or even hug them. This should

help develop their sense of love and self worth.

2. Be good to your neighbours and never backbite. Never speak ill of other

drivers when on the road. Your children would listen, absorb and emulate.

3. When calling your parents, encourage your children to speak to them. When

visiting your parents take your children with you. The more they see you take

care of your parents the more they will learn to take care of you.

4. When driving them to school, don't always play albums or cds in the car.

Rather, tell them some motivational stories yourself. This will have a greater

impact - trust me!

5. Read to them a short story and even a scripture a day – it doesn't take

much time, but very good in creating strong bonds and wonderful memories.

6. Comb your hair, clean your teeth and wear presentable clothes even if sitting

at home and not going out for the day. They need to learn that being clean and

tidy has nothing to do with going out!

7. Try not to blame or comment on every word or action they say or do. Learn

to overlook and let go sometimes. This certainly builds their self confidence.

8. Ask your children's permission before entering their rooms. Don't just knock

and enter, but then wait for a verbal permission. They will learn to do the same

when wanting to enter your room.

9. Apologize to your children if you made a mistake. Apologizing teaches them

to be humble and polite.

10. Don't be sarcastic or make fun of their views or feelings, even if you "didn't

mean it" and was "only joking". It really hurts.

11. Show respect to your children's privacy. Its important for their sense of

value and self-esteem.

12. Don't expect that they will listen or understand the first time. Don't take it

personal. But be patient and consistent.

13. Pray with them. Show them how to pray. Lead by example.

14. In addition, ask them to discuss their daily plans after the morning prayers.

Children without concrete daily plans usually join others in executing theirs.

They fall easy to peer pressure.

15. Hold them and bless them specially every morning.

SOURCE: Copied.

BREAKING: Resident Doctors' Strike Persist After 24 Hours meeting Even As FG To Begin implementation of MOU with NMA on Monday

 

The leadership of the striking  National Association of Resident Doctors on Saturday refused to sign the new Memorandum of Action brokered by its parent body, the Nigeria  Medical Association.

NMA's intervention was to end the resumed strike of the residents doctors which enters its twenty second day on Sunday. 

NARD President, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, who declined his assent  owing to an undisclosed clause insisted the leadership has to get the nod of members before he could sign the document. 

 The Minister of Labour and Employment said at the end of the six-hour long meeting that all other unions in the negotiation including the NMA and the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria signed the new agreement.

Chris Ngige disclosed that the meeting did not discuss the issue of 'No Work No Pay' but that all parties at the meeting agreed to an out of court settlement.

In an earlier statement, Mr Charlse Akpan, Deputy Director of press ministry of Labour said In a bid to end the indefinite strike of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the Federal Government says it will commence the implementation of its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Monday.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said this on Saturday while making opening remarks at the continuation of an all-stakeholder meeting he summoned at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari, aimed at resolving the doctors  strike. The meeting had earlier started at about 2pm on Friday and adjourned in the early hours of Saturday before reconvening in the afternoon.

Ngige who addressed journalists before the meeting went into closed door session, said they had reached agreements the previous night on all the 12 disputed issues, adding that implementation would start from the next working day (Monday).

Regarding the issue of non-payment of some house officers, the Minister said NARD is expected to submit the list of the affected 114 officers for further verification and when confirmed that they are genuine, and their IPPIS particulars and BVN are in order, they would be paid in September with the outstanding arrears.

He said an agreement was reached on the Residency Training Fund outstanding for 2020 and 2021, after the Budget Office had explained that N617, 429, 121 was the outstanding to be paid in the 2020.

“There are reconciliations to be done here because the 2020 was done with some errors. Some people who are not supposed to benefit from the fund got money and because of that, the number of genuine people that were not paid also came to that quantum of persons.

“So, reconciliation is being done and some monies are being returned. We have given a timeline for this reconciliation to be done.

“And for the 2021, the money approved by Government is N4.802B. This money like I said earlier was contained in the 2021 Supplementary Budget, which the President signed on the eve of his departure to UK for the meeting and medical check-up.

“So, between that time and now, it became a money law. The funds have now been sourced and it has gotten from the CBN to the Budget Office where we expect it to be processed in one week as undertaken by the Government side.”

Ngige added that the meeting agreed that by next Friday, August 27, residents in institutions would have started getting their money, with each receiving about N542, 000.

He noted that the issue of consequential adjustment on National Minimum wage cuts across the health and educational sectors, which were both affected by the projection of N160B done in 2019, but which fell short of the people that were to benefit from this.

“The meeting agreed that we need to let this matter. Therefore, the Budget Office of the Federation should start from the 2021 service vote to start paying. And if we have any leftovers, we roll it into the 2022.”

“Coming to hazard allowance, everybody agreed that the discussion is still ongoing and therefore government wants to finish it up. We agreed with NMA position to us that they don’t want to discuss holistically anymore as an association and that they have their own peculiarities that are not same with other health workers.

“We are going to do two meetings, one for NMA and affiliates and one for JOHESU. But we are taking the meetings concurrently so that we don’t run into troubled quarters. We are starting next weeks. “

Ngige said the meeting equally noted that the non-payment of skipping allowance cuts across the entire health sector and therefore agreed that it was going to be handled holistically, while awaiting the court judgment on the matter.

He said the NMA has been directed to submit a written position on the controversial withdrawing NYSC doctors and house officers from the scheme of service to point out the anomaly in the circular, for onward transmission to Head of Service of the Federation, who will look at the inputs given by NMA to the circular and process it to either the Council of Establishment or handle it administratively, if the issues are not such of fundamental nature to further clarify it,  adding that a two-month timeline has been set for this.

 

“We also agreed on the migration of doctors on GFMIS from some university teaching hospitals, like University College Hospital Ibadan, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital which have recruited doctors on GFMIS and were unable to pay them when GFMIS was tampered with.

 

“We can resume when we verify those people. They can be there until the recruitment is perfected in order to migrate them to IPPIS. In this wise, the Head of Service has granted waiver and revalidation of old waiver for University of Port Harcourt and  waivers for University College Ibadan and Calabar but this is not without reprimand for CMDS who have flouted government regulations by recruiting people into the service without fulfilling the requirements of circular on this.”

 

We also have issue of hazard allowances for doctors in government hospitals that did not benefit from that 2020 payment. The Federal Ministry of Health has compiled a list and we said that the list should be forwarded back again to the Federal Ministry of Finance. For doctors in University Clinics and the rest of them, we said they should route their own through the Federal Ministry of Education, their parent Ministry and Employer.

 

“On the controversial issue of NSIWC circular, removing doctors in academia from CONMESS and also doctors who are doubling as honorary consultants/lecturers from CONMESS to CONUAS, we have even before their request treated one leg of it by obeying the court order already gotten by them and in spirit of dialogue, we said further discussions should continue with NSIWC.

 

“NMA has undertaken that they should tell the two members and their association to do an out of court settlement by withdrawing the matter from the industrial court until we finish the negotiation. We gave a time for negotiation.

 

We have empanelled a committee with NMA leading including NSIWC, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of labour and others in the team. The first inaugural meeting is Tuesday August 31st, we are hopeful that this meeting will give us suggestion on how to resolve the matter.”

 

“On the issues relating to states, there is no way the Federal Government will start pulling the states on the issue of domestication of Medical Residency Training Programme by their various Houses of Assembly and Government and issue of Medical Training Residency Fund. We also have the issue of Non-payment of COVID-19 allowances by some state governments and consequential minimum wage adjustments.

 

“We have before now made contact with the Governors Forum on these matters and the onus is now on us as the Ministry of Labour to talk to the Governors Forum and impress on them on the need for this to be done. The Medical Residency Training and accompanying Fund is already in the Act which the Federal Government has signed. We will impress it on them as part of strengthening the health system so that we are not starved of specialist doctors. There is an urgent need for them to adopt that. This will also help us to stem the issue of brain drain. The Federal Government cannot employ everybody. We want state governments to pay more attention to secondary and tertiary health.”