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Why We May Go On Strike In 2022 – Health Workers

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Why We May Go On Strike In 2022 - Health Workers

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) have said they would not guarantee industrial peace in the sector if Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) is not adjusted in the 2022 Budget before passage.

The health workers said any attempt to do otherwise would be met with stiff resistance.

JOHESU National Chairman Biobelemoye Josiah issued the threat Monday while speaking on Kakaaki, a breakfast programme on African Independent Television.

He said the unions would not guarantee industrial harmony in the health sector if the president fails to include the adjusted salary structure.

“We are expecting that Mr President will do us well because as a union we have yielded to his request that we should keep the health sector strike-free for the period. We have done our part; we expect that no matter the games that the Federal Ministry of Health is playing by trying to deny us our own right, the president has the power to direct that the committee’s job should be included in the budget before he signs it.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians to plead on our behalf because we have been very patient, we have been very patriotic and we will not want a situation where all the efforts we have put to ensure that there is peace in the health sector to waste because if it is not put into the budget, next year – a few days from now, which when we go into next year, certainly, the health sector will not be as peaceful as we have tried to keep it.

“If they don’t put the adjusted CONHESS into the budget, then they should be ready for us,” the JOHESU chairman said.

READ ALSO: Resident Doctors Call Off Strike

Josiah said the unions were aware of a provision of N80 billion set aside to take care of the salary adjustment for health workers.

He said it would be wrong for the Federal Ministry of Health to “divert” the funds for other purposes.

The union leader said: “At the peak of our agitation, the office of the chief of staff to the president also intervened.

We are aware that there was a provision of N80 billion made to take care of adjustment of salaries. It is our strong belief that even if they have not specifically stated that this amount is for CONHESS adjustment, I think there is a provision made already.

“Our money from what the committee has worked out is not beyond that N80 billion. So, for the president who appealed to us and who we have also listened to, we have kept our deal; we have kept our gunpowder dry, we have not shot anyone, so the president should do us that favour by giving us that level of love that we have shown.

“We believe that there is provision already imputed in the budget but the federal ministry of health in its well – celebrated bias would want to say the money is not meant for us so that they can favour those who they want to favour.”

On the adjustments made to the hazard allowance, Josiah said the unions had accepted the explanation offered by the federal government.

He, however, warned that any attempt to favour one union against the other would be resisted.

Speaking on the hazard allowance, he said: “As for the approval of the hazard allowance, it is not where we wanted to be, but as far as we are concerned, government pleaded that that is what they can afford for now. In as much as we would have loved it to be higher than what we asked for, we have decided to give peace a chance and see how it is implemented.

“Government has issued a circular and we will abide by it for now. But where the government listens to any agitation and increases by one kobo, that must be given to us too. Where government wishes to take our high level of understanding for granted, we will certainly tell them it is not weakness.”

He also called for a balance in the leadership of the Health Ministry, saying this would benefit the country.
Josiah added: “If any government wants a proper health system, a developed health system in this country we should change from this leadership where they put medical doctors at the helm of affairs. Let us go back to what took us to be among the best in the commonwealth. Hospitals’ administrators should take charge so that there will be fairness and neutrality in handling hospital affairs for all professional groups.

READ ALSO: Court Orders Striking Resident Doctors To Return To Work

“Today, a matter that ought to have been handled by the HR in the Federal Ministry of Health, it is the Directorate of Hospital Services that is handling it and that is headed by medical doctors. That is why there is huge bias being displayed every now and then and that is why since 1985, the health system has dropped from its high point down to where we are and if we must talk about international best practices then we must rejig the leadership.

“Right from the beginning of this administration, we asked that the three top personnel should not come from one profession. The minister and minister of state should not come from one profession and the permanent secretary. For now that has not been heeded and the country is suffering for that.

“I want to ask again; if the president is hearing me, that he should rejig and any other government that is coming should take this free advice and make the health system work for the masses of Nigeria.”

 

 

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Abiodun Seeks US Partnership In Developing Critical Sectors

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Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun

The Ogun State government has solicited for partnership with the United States of America in developing the critical sectors of the State’s economy.

The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun who stated this when he received the American Consul General to Nigeria, Mr. Will Stevens, who led a 5-man delegation on a courtesy call in his office at Oke-Mosan Abeokuta on Wednesday, noted that the State considers the United States as a progressive partner in the areas of economy, good governance, security, climate change and human capital development around the world.

Governor Abiodun posited that the State apart from the sophistication of its people and their cognitive political culture, is unanimously and popularly adjudged as the New Jersey of Nigeria and the leading industrial hub in the West Africa Sub-region, hence the need to tap from the American experience to further its developmental stride.

The governor said his administration at inception in 2019, assembled a team made up of highly resourceful technocrats and cerebral policy architects and conceptualized a transformational philosophy coined ISEYA, which is an acronym for Infrastructural Development, Social Welfare and Well-being, Education and Human Capital Development, Youth Empowerment and lastly, Agriculture and Food Security.

He said: “Through this concept, we have strategically transformed the state with modern infrastructure, deliberate policy steps to attract businesses and moving the economy from being federal allocation-focused to becoming the state with the third largest Internally Generated Revenue in the country.

“The State’s strategic location as the primary gateway to Lagos State – the largest market with the busiest ports in Nigeria has contributed to its status as the Industrial Hub of Nigeria.

“Our State is home to one of the largest industrial zones in Sub-Saharan Africa, which includes the 8,000 hectares OPIC-owned Agbara Industrial Estate, which accommodates the Federal Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ), with forty-four (44) operational companies, factory tenants from across the world, with over 6,000 Nigerian employees and an estimated 100,000 metric tons of freight moving in and out daily.”

Prince Abiodun noted that in its quest to make Ogun State the first destination for investors in Nigeria, his administration is currently constructing an Agro Cargo International Airport at Iperu-Ilishan road in Ikenne Local Government Area of the State, adding that the project is strategically designed to create the needed infrastructure to boost the exportation of agricultural and non-agricultural goods.

“By its structure and business plan, the Cargo Airport remains a game-changer in our import and export promotion efforts, as it was specifically constructed to be an aerotropolis (Airport City) equipped with components such as a special agro-processing zone to process raw agricultural materials for exports, an international testing centre to certify that agro-produce complies with international standards before it is exported, and facility for passenger operations as well as facilities to receive parcels coming into Nigeria that are to be redistributed to other parts of the country.

“In addition to that, it is an important component of Ogun State’s transportation master plan expected not only to connect rail, road and water transportation but also to decongest the Lagos Airport,” the governor added.

Governor Abiodun appreciated the American government for her firm stance on democratic governance, specifically on the sanctity of the electoral process as well as supporting different reforms in the electoral process and taking an uncompromising position on electoral offenders.

In an interview after a closed-door meeting with the governor, the Consul General said their discussions centred on security and health.

He noted that health remains the number one investment in Nigeria as the US government is in the health sector to help Nigeria to reach the 95 95 95 goals of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country.

“It is my job to promote US trade and investment here in certain parts of Nigeria. I had a great conversation with the governor about the incredible investment the US companies are already making in the state as well as opportunities for more increased US trade and investment.

“We also talked about the tax sector, I think there are incredible opportunities right now to find jobs and opportunities for Nigerian youths to participate in the tax sector.

“We’ve seen the explosion of growth and investment in that sector throughout Nigeria, particularly in the South West,” the Consul General added.

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BREAKING:Chicago State University Unable To Grant One Request By Atiku As It Releases Tinubu’s Academic Records

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Senator Withdraws Support For Tinubu Over Choice Of Muslim Running Mate
President Bola Tinubu

The Chicago State University (CSU) was unable to meet one request by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar as it finally released to him the academic records of President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku requested the documents to back his allegation of forgery of CSU certificate against Tinubu. It would mean Tinubu was not qualified to run for the election, which he won, if the allegation is successfully proved against him.

The university, on Monday, presented to Atiku’s legal team, a cache of documents connected to Tinubu’s education at the institution and copies of certificates with redacted names issued to other persons about the same time the Nigerian president finished from the school in 1979.

It also contained Tinubu’s admission records, and a letter dated 27 June 2022 confirming that he attended the university from August 1977 and June 1979 majoring in accounting. The letter said Tinubu was awarded Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with Honours on 22 June 1979.

The District Court in Northern Illinois, had in its judgement delivered on Saturday, given the university up till 12 noon on Monday to deliver the documents to Atiku.

The judge, Nancy Maldonado, gave the other after dismissing Tinubu’s objection in the judgement.

Ms Maldonando dismissed Tinubu’s objection to the 20 September decision of a magistrate judge of the court, Jeffery Gilbert.

The judge fully affirmed Gilbert’s ruling, ordering the CSU to release Tinubu’s academic records as requested by Atiku. She insisted Atiku had the right to have access to the records.

Complying with the court order on Monday, the university produced four sets of documents copies which went viral online on Monday.

In a deposition detailing its compliance with the court order, the university confirmed it was able to grant three of Atiku’s four requests.

Responding to one of the requests it granted, the university said, “after diligent search”. it was able to locate and produce seven different certificates for Bachelor of Science degree it issued in 1979.

Atiku had apparently requested the documents to compare and contrast them with the one presented by Tinubu as his for the 2023 presidential election.

The university also handed to Atiku’s team, documents relating to Tinubu and certified by an official of CSU, Jamar C. Orr, a lawyer.

The university similarly produced, “after diligent search”, copies of three other diploma certificates issued to other students other than Tinubu in 1979.

This was in response to Atiku’s request for “true and correct copies of any diplomas issued by CSU (other than to Tinubu) that contain the same font, seal, signatures, and wording (other than the name of the recipient and the specific degree awarded)”. Atiku sought these documents to compare and contrast them with the one Tinubu claimed to have obtained on or about 22 June 1979.

But the university said it was unable to locate “a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Tinubu in 1979” as requested by Atiku.

This was the kernel of Atiku’s request which is at the heart of the issue he intends to use the documents for in his legal challenge of Tinubu’s victory at the 25 February presidential election.

The university said it “does not in the ordinary course keep copies of student diplomas, and after diligent search cannot locate a copy of the original diploma it prepared for Mr. Tinubu in 1979, hence has no documents responsive to this request.”

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Group Commends Ogun Governorship Election Petition Tribunal’s Verdict

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Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun

A Civil Society Organization, Advocacy for Peace and Good Governance, has commended the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal for its verdict on  the March 18, governorship election in the State.

It would be recalled that the tribunal, on Saturday, unanimously validated the victory of Governor Dapo Abiodun, as it dismissed all the grounds canvassed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ladi Adebutu in their petitions.

The group stated that the verdict was a victory for democracy and affirmation of the people’s choice.

The group, in a statement signed by it’s National Coordinator, Waheed Sulaimon, on Saturday in Abuja, described the judgement as explicit without any ambiguity, saying it was a true reflection of what happened across Ogun State on March 18, 2023.

The group noted that the tribunal delivered its verdict based on the facts and evidence presented before it, as well as the credibility of the electoral process.

It lauded the judiciary for its impartiality in the ongoing election petition-related cases across the country, adding that Nigerians have always reposed their confidence in that arm of government.

The group, therefore, urged all parties involved to accept the decision of the tribunal and join hands with Governor Dapo Abiodun, to work towards the development of the state.

It also called on all stakeholders in the Ogun State project to rally round the governor to make the Gateway State among the best in Nigeria in terms of economic prosperity, political stability and social cohesion.

The group also lauded Governor Abiodun for his commitment to good governance and efforts at ensuring the security of lives and property, as well as his unwavering political will to speedily develop the state.

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