Category: General News

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi on Tuesday received Blueprint Newspapers award for his contribution to the rail development and building of the first monorail system in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Amaechi received the award at the maiden edition of Blueprint Impact Series/Awards with the theme: “Tolerance, Unity and Security: Building a Legacy for National Development held in Abuja.

According to the citation, Amaechi is a shining star in his current appointment as the minister of transportation.

“The ministry has set to work to bring extensive changes to the country’s transportation framework; the nation’s railway network has received attention under this administration.

“It has now become a beacon of hope for both highly placed and common Nigerians. As a former Governor of Rivers, Amaechi built the first monorail system in Sub-Sahara Africa.’’

Receiving the award, Amaechi urged Nigerians to vote All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview after receiving the award, Amaechi appreciated the Blueprint Management for recognising his contributions to national development.

The minister, however, said that the award would inspire the recipients to do more in their various fields.

“I am grateful to blueprint, the management and the board, the award is to task us further to do our best in our various assignments and fields. “

Among other dignitaries that received awards were Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele and Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central. (NAN)

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith as the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

It also confirmed six others as members of the commission.

Confirmation of their appointments followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, presented by the Chairman, Sen. Abu Ibrahim.

Others, whose nominations by President Muhammadu Buhari were approved by the upper legislative chamber, were Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, North-East; Mr Lawal Bawa, North-West; and Muhammad Naja’atu, North-West.

The others were Braimaoh Austin, South-South; Rommy Mom, North-Central; and Dr Nkemka Jombo-Ofo, South-East.

Presenting the report, Ibrahim said all the nominees, which had earlier been cleared by the security agency, were found to be worthy of their new appointments and therefore recommended them for approval.

The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, while congratulating the new appointees, said the upper legislative chamber fast-tracked the approval because of the competence of nominees.

“Let us congratulate the new members of the Police Service Commission and at the same time commend the quality of the candidates that have been nominated and brought forward by Mr President.

“It gives us all a lot of hope and encouragement that all our efforts to see that this crucial aspect of our security architecture reform will begin with this process.

“We wish all the members the best of luck. They have a lot of expectation from Nigerians and before this nomination that is why we fast-tracked the screening.

“A lot of people are expecting that with their experience to support the police in carrying out the necessary reform that is required, particularly in ensuring that we drive a merit-orientated police force and performance-driven, that would motivate all the necessary members to do the right thing to provide us security.

“Let us at the same time also ensure that they look into the areas of rewarding performance in being able to compensate those who have worked hard.

Meanwhile, President Buhari has requested the Upper Chamber’s approval of Mr Muiz Banire as Chairman, Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and Bello Tukur as Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

The President, in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate and read by Saraki at plenary, also nominated 12 other commissioners into the FCSC.

“In compliance with the provision of section 154(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I write to request the confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the following nominees as Chairman and commissioners in the Federal Civil Service Commission.

“They are Moses Musa, Adamawa; Waziri Umaru, Borno; Ahmed Mahmud, Jigawa; Ahmed Sama, Kebbi; Iyabode Yusuf, Ogun; and Shehu Danyaya, Niger.

The others are: Fatai Lafaye, Oyo; Michael Chukwuemeka, Anambra; Joe Philip, Rivers; Ibrahim Muhammed, Kaduna, Aminu Saidu, Kogi; and Simon Etim, Akwa-Ibom.

“It is my hope that the Distinguished Senate will consider and confirm the nominees in the usual expedite manner.” (NAN)

National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) on Tuesday urged health workers to treat patients with respect and dignity for easy access to health delivery.

The Executive Director of NHIS, Prof. Usman Yusuf, made the appeal in an interview with journalists shortly after 42nd Annual General and Scientific Meeting organised by West African College of Physicians WACP, Nigeria chapter in Kaduna.

According to him, NHIS has done a lot of sacrifice to the country because of the funding it gives to hospitals.

He said that the scheme had improved access to many patients across the country and increased funding to hospitals, stressing that hospitals should, therefore, treat patients with respect and dignity as stipulated by the ethics of the medical profession.

The National Chairman of  WACP, Dr Abel Nze-Onunu, said “Nigeria is a country with a lot of resources both human and material, but yet to get it right in the health sector.”

He added that the meeting was about examining the problems and challenges of the health sector in a scientific manner.

Rating maternal and infant mortality rate, he said “we have done several studies in these two areas. These areas are one of the indices we used for human development in the world.

“Nigeria performed extremely low in these areas and one of the key reason for this conference and we are going to discuss about this extensively.”

Suleiman Umar, an aspirant for the House of Representatives seat in Bida/Gbako/Katcha Local Government Areas in Niger State has decried the practice of enticing voters with money.

Umar made the disapproval during a meeting with his campaign coordinators.

He urged them to conceptualise his visions and mission so that they would be able to translate them to the electorates.

Umar said that one of his visions was to take Bida/Gbako/Katcha federal constituency to appreciable level in terms of economic, educational and infrastructural development through effective legislations which formed parts of his campaign manifesto.

“I am not desperate for power but only worried about the situation of his people.

“The reason I am vying for the seat of House of Representative is to change the situation and to move forward in terms of peace and development, we must desist from money politics.

“One of the reasons why our development is at a snail’s speed is because some of us have sold our conscience to some unscrupulous politicians.

“The implication is that the electorate will not have any right to ask the representatives questions, therefore, we must not repeat the mistakes of the past.”

The aspirant vowed not to condone the ideology of money politics no matter the situation but admitted that one must spend money on politics for logistics.

According to him, to buy votes means mortgaging the future of children and those yet unborn.

He also warned the electorates not to fall for tricks of some politicians who dropped names by deceiving them into believing that they were the anointed candidate of the government.

“ If they come to tell you that, ask them what they can do for the progress of your society, doing that would secure the future of their children,’’  he said.

Umar urged his coordinators to also sensitise the electorates who had registered and yet to obtain their PVCs to do so.

He said that those who had yet to register should do that as a matter of urgency, as the INEC closed registration on Aug. 17, 2018.