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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commended the U.S.-based International Republican Institute (IRI) for sustained support toward a hitch free and credible elections in the country.

The Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Mr Kassim Gaidam made the commendation on Wednesday in Yola while speaking at a workshop organised by IRI in collaboration with U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID), for critical stakeholders on Election Violence Mitigation in Adamawa.

Gaidam said that election violence had been a source of concern to the commission in its effort to deliver credible election.

“Let me commend the IRI, which since 1998 has been a helpful partner of the commission. We appreciate all your efforts and assure that the commission is committed to the conduct of free, fair and credible election with the help of all stakeholders.

“In collaboration with other partners, the commission is engaging youths across board in areas of sensitisation through workshops and seminars on the need to avoid violence during elections.

“We, as a commission are mindful of the fact that a violence free election is an acceptable election and so will continue to do everything to ensure peaceful elections,” Kassim said.

The Resident Programme, the Director of IRI, Mr Sentell Barnes said that the institute was committed to improving participatory democracy by helping in addressing factors militating against it such as election violence.

“Violence in elections is a scourge that has deterred many, especially women, youth and persons with disability from participating in politics.

“IRI is committed to improving the participation of marginalised groups by addressing the factors that hinder them, hence this meeting,” Barnes said.

Barnes said that the IRI was involved in the programme in four states- Adamawa, Bauchi, Ebonyi and Sokoto. (NAN)

A don, Prof. Christopher Obionu on Wednesday said brain-drain had adversely affected the health sector as 50 per cent of Nigerian doctors were currently practicing abroad.

Obionu made the assertion during his presentation as the at the 36^th Faculty Day Lecture at the National Postgraduate College in Lagos.

The theme of the lecture is:“Setting the Priorities Right: Addressing the Challenges of Human Resources for Health in Nigeria’’.

Obionu said that the health sector was no longer enjoying good times as most of its trusted personnel were leaving in droves to other countries due to some prevailing circumstances.

“It is also instructive to note that about 50 per cent of Nigeria trained doctors are currently practicing abroad leaving a gap of brain drain in the health sector, this must be addressed.

“ Nigeria faces critical and complex challenges of Human Resource for Health (HRH) which includes among others, non-availability of adequate pool of competent human resources in the right mix.

He said that Nigeria currently have about 72,000 doctors to cater for about 180 million people, which he lamented was burdensome on the medical and health professionals.

“This shows how the medical personnel have been overstretched with many of them having little time for diagnosis.

“It also bothers on our retention to provide health care to the citizen in places where the services are needed,’’ he said.

Obionu said that researches had revealed the likely reasons for the emigration of Nigerian doctors, a situation he called for an urgent redress.

“Nigeria Health Watch, reasons for emigration to other countries by Nigerian doctors range from better facilities, work environment, and higher remuneration, to career progression, professional advancement and better quality of life.

“Addressing these challenges of HRH will therefore not only enhance health system but also increase performance by dealing with some human resources-related crisis in the health sector,’’ he said.

Obionu said that the shortage of health care professionals and their uneven distribution in the country was compounded by accelerated migration of health workers to other countries and away from the rural poor communities.

“Aside the case of Nigerian doctors trooping abroad, we are also battling with the rural-urban migration of our health personnel which largely left those at the rural areas not cared for medically.

“In lieu of this, we urgently need to reduce unnecessary lapses and setbacks that have bedeviled the health system in recent times.

“The various reasons that have been given for the factors influencing brain drain among the medical personnel in Nigeria must be dealt with.

“The reasons which are better work condition, which is 87 per cent and desire for better life about 75 per cent are revealed as the most important reasons for emigration,’’ he said.

Giving his recommendation, Obionu urged government to encourage specialty in medical profession and the establishment of more training centres and medical training institutes.

“To bridge the gap in the health sector, government needs to encourage specialisation in necessary specialty areas and also regulate specialist training for Nigeria.

“There is also a need to establish more centres for training specialists and give certification of more courses in health sector.

“There is also a need to provide facilities for manpower development and also review residency training programme and  we need to enforce continuing professional education.

”’There is need for us to reduce inter-professional conflict by giving a clear cut job description and standards of practice and resolve leadership role, and encourage team work, equity and social justice,’’ he said.

Responding to the recommendations, Prof. Chikaike Ogbonna, the Vice Chairman of National Postgraduate College said that the decay in the health sector had built up over time.

“The decay is a test of time, so it is not an issue of an emergency kind of thing. It is an issue that all stakeholders must agree that there is a problem.

“Not only agreeing about the problem but that the problem has to be tackled. We have to work as a team; we have to press on the government to do the right thing.

“Although it is not an issue of money, it is an issue of resourcefulness, but I want to say that money comes first before resourcefulness.

“We need to invest more in the health sector to keep faith in the system and achieving the set targets, so the way to start is those policies that are on ground monitored and enforced,’’ he said. (NAN)

The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria has assured the public that it will not increase the price of bread nationwide.

Mr Jacob Adejorin, South-West Vice Chairman of the association, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

“We have been receiving calls from different parts of the country based on radio, television and newspapers’ reports that bread makers will increase price of bread and also embark on a nationwide strike from Sept. 24.

“We Master Bakers are disassociating ourselves from such plan. Although, we acknowledge the concerns of stakeholders about the high cost of production inputs that is reducing profit margin and crippling businesses of bakers nationwide.

“In spite of these challenges, we are assuring the public that price of bread from us will not increase and we will continue to ensure highest standard in our production process,” he said.

Adejorin, who is also the Lagos State Chairman of the association, urged the Federal Government to review the issues inhibiting the growth of bakery industry and create a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.

NAN reports that the Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN) had on Sept. 11 warned that price of bread may rise by 90 per cent due to increase in basic baking ingredients in the country.

Speaking on the issue, Mr Emmanuel Onuorah, Publicity Secretary of PBAN, told NAN that it was true the association intended to increase bread price but debunked the reports about the proposed strike.

“We do not have trade dispute with the Federal and State Governments; neither are we at loggerheads with anyone.

“We are not going on strike. We are not shutting down production,’’ he said.

Onuorah noted that the challenges faced by bakers was due to the incessant increase in the prices of baking ingredients that had rendered most premium bakeries comatose and operating at a loss.

According to him, between 2015 and 2018, the price of flour increased from N6,500 to N11,500 per 50 kilogram bag, while sugar had 77 per cent rise in price within the same period.

He said that salt, margarine, yeast, preservatives and improvers used in enhancing the quality of bread had recorded 84 per cent, 67 per cent, 112 per cent, 45 per cent and 160 per cent increases, respectively.

Onuorah added that the price of diesel, which most factory used to power their generators for production also increased by 57 per cent, while the price of bread had only witnessed 11 per cent rise within the period.

“Most bakers are running on negative margins as we have been subsidising bread for Nigerians and we cannot afford to do that any longer.

“Most of us got loans with double-digit interest rates from financial institutions to fund our bakery projects and are finding it extremely difficult to meet our loan repayment obligations,” he said.

Onuorah urged the Federal Government to review downward the 15 per cent levy on wheat grain imports to help drive down the price of flour, which constitute about 75 per cent of baking ingredients.

“We believe that a reduction in the 15 per cent levy on wheat grain by the government, will lead to a substantial reduction in the price of flour by millers,” he said.

Onuorah also urged the government and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to clear the ambiguity in the tax law on whether premium bread was part of “basic food items’’, exempted from Value Added Tax (VAT).

“To our understanding, Part 1, Paragraph 2 of the first Schedule of the Value Added Tax Act exempts certain goods including ‘basic food items’ from VAT.

“However, the Act does not define basic food items.

“In reality however, producers of premium bread over time, had been made to pay VAT, penalised or threatened for not paying VAT on bread.

“We, therefore, demand that the Federal Government and the FIRS look into this as a matter of urgency in order to clarify this ambiguity,” he said.

Onuorah said that over 700,000 people were employed directly and indirectly in the premium bread sub-sector, adding that addressing the critical challenges would ensure sustainable food production and economic growth.

NAN reports that currently, a loaf of bread containing 20 and 25 slices costs N250 and N300 respectively, while the jumbo size (not sliced) sells for N450 or N500. (NAN)