NO DTS 0914: OSINBAJO CAUTIONS AGAINST SECESSION CALLS IN NIGERIA… SAYS NATION’S DEVELOPMENT HINGES ON FEDERAL, STATE COOPERATION
NO DTS 0915: DELTA HOS DISPELS WORKERS’ CASUALIZATION ALLEGATION
NO DTS 0916: ODIBO WARNS AGAINST POPULATION EXPLOSION IN NIGERIA
Editor: Churchill Oyowe
Tel: 08062269772
Website: information. Delta state.gov.ng; Facebook: @delmininfo;
Instagram: @delmininfo; Twitter: @delmininfo
NO DTS 0914: ASABA, NIGERIA, THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021
OSINBAJO CAUTIONS AGAINST SECESSION CALLS IN NIGERIA… SAYS NATION’S DEVELOPMENT HINGES ON FEDERAL, STATE COOPERATION
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, cautioned proponents of secession in the country, advising them to drop such campaigns.
According to Osinbajo who made the call while inaugurating Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Marshal Inspectorate Training School, built by Delta State Government in Owa-Alero, Ika North East Local Government Area, Nigeria remains better as one united country.
He said that Nigeria was a great nation notwithstanding its diversity and current challenges, adding that Nigerians should harness the inherent benefits in the country to promote sustainable socio-economic growth and development.
“To truly achieve this, Nigeria as a nation, must continue to promote justice, equity and fairness among the diverse groups in the country.
“We must caution those who are agitating for the break-up of the country against such agitation. It is important for our people to understand that the unity of this country must not be compromised,” Osinbajo said.
He commended Delta State Government under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for building the training institute for the federal agency and said that such partnership between states and the Federal Government was needed to promote sustainable development in the country.
“The development of the country depends, to a very large extent, on this type of cooperation between states and the Federal Government.
“The greater the co-operation between states and the Federal Government, the greater the development that Nigerians will witness will be,” he said.
The vice president remarked that the FRSC training school was fully furnished for the training of non-commissioned officers of the corps, and commended the management for its commitment towards delivery on its core mandate of reducing road crashes in the country.
“This far-sighted contribution of the Delta State Government is worthy of all commendation and it’s an excellent example of the collaboration between state and the Federal government.
“The ultimate beneficiaries of the project are the people of Delta and of course, the country at large. I must encourage all other states to emulate what Delta has done and exemplify this spirit of cooperation for development.
“Road safety is a collective responsibility and that is what the government of Delta has demonstrated today.
“The Federal Government will continue to support organisations that demonstrate commitment to their statutory duties. Let me again appreciate the Delta state government for the huge financial resource invested in this project,’’ he said.
In his remarks, Gov. Okowa said that a well-trained road safety marshal would impact positively on road safety standards and safe-driving practices in the state and the country.
He said that his administration had completed 483 road projects across the state, including the riverside areas.
“In 2019, the FRSC intimated me of their plan to establish a Marshal Inspectorate Training School (for non-commissioned officers) in Delta State on the condition that the state government will provide a safe, functional and adequate campus for its take-off.
“We knew the project would stretch our already limited resources but we were also confident that in the final analysis the benefits of locating the school in our state far outweighed the costs.
“It is also our pride that through this project, the Delta State Government is able to contribute in a significant way to the overall improvement of road safety in Nigeria.
“Our administration will continue to avail itself of any opportunity to improve road and physical infrastructure, grow the local economy, especially the informal sector, create employment opportunities and advance the general well-being of our people, while contributing our quota towards the advancement of “Project Nigeria’,” Okowa stated.
Corps Marshall and Chief Executive Officer of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, commended Delta State Government for building and handing over of the training school to the corps.
He said that the successful inauguration of the training institute would add value to human capital development in the Corps.
On his part, the Obi of Owa Kingdom, Dr Emmanuel Efeizomor II, said that the place of education as the path of dignity and mental erudition could not be over-emphasized.
He described Gov. Okowa as a partner in national development and called on politicians to live in conviviality as the nation could only grow when leaders worked together in the interest of the nation.
“It is only education that can liberate the country and we will support you to ensure that Nigeria remains one; it will not break up in our time,” the monarch stated.
NO DTS 0915: ASABA, NIGERIA, THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021
DELTA HOS DISPELS WORKERS’ CASUALIZATION ALLEGATION
By Aruoriwo Ivovi
Delta State Head of Service, HoS, Mr Reginald Bayoko has dispelled allegation of casualization of workers saying casualization of workers has since been abolished in the state.
The HoS made this known when the state chairman and other executive members of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday at Asaba.
Bayoko was responding to a request by the medical practitioners for the absorption of casual medical doctors, allegedly working with the State Hospital Management Board (HMB).
He debunked the casualization claim and explained that the medical doctors the group was referring to as casual workers were actually volunteers who willingly rendered their services to the state and humanity.
While acknowledging the services of the volunteers for their contributions to the state, the head of service disclosed that the state government had reciprocated the gesture by giving some of the volunteers’ permanent appointments.
He stated that the gesture was part of efforts to appreciate them and boost the manpower needs of state government hospitals.
Responding to other issues affecting the welfare of the association’s members the HoS promised to personally take up some of the issues even as he clarifiedthat the rationale for the embargo in the payment of promotion arrears to workers.
Bayoko, while describing healthcare workers as very important to society, congratulated the executives of the association on its election into office by members to pilot the affairs of the body.
He reminded the association to sensitize their members on the need to always fill and submit their annual performance evaluation report (APER) as requirements for consideration for promotion.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Association, Dr. Samuel Oyawiri, said that the visit was to introduce the new executives of the association to HoS and also to appreciate the role he played in the appointment of three of their members as permanent secretaries in the state civil service.
Dr Oyawiri who intimated the HoS on their willingness to partner with his office on ways to improve healthcare delivery in the state, however, solicited for support in solving some welfare related challenges faced by members.
Other issues raised by Oyawiri, included transfer of medical doctors from one station to another without financial benefits, non-payment of teaching and rural allowances, delay in implementation of promotion and payments of first salaries of some of their colleagues who were recently employed into the Hospital Management Board.
NO DTS 0916: ASABA, NIGERIA, THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021
ODIBO WARNS AGAINST POPULATION EXPLOSION IN NIGERIA
By Ambrose Ologide
The Federal Commissioner representing Delta State at the National Population Commission (NPC), Sir Richard Odibo, has warned against population explosion in Nigeria.
The population expert gave the warning in an exclusive interaction with our correspondent at his Ekpan residence in Uvwie Local Government area at the weekend.
He warned that if Nigeria’s rate of population growth was not properly managed, Nigerians would be faced with hunger and starvation in the next 30 years.
Odibo admonished that climate change had adversely affected farm lands globally and therefore stressed the need to have a population that can depend on farming.
To this end, he called for sex education of the girl-child as to the usage of contraceptives in the course of managing Nigeria’s population.
He also advised that the girl child should be groomed to provide assistance in the welfare of the household and not to wholly depend on her husband.
The Delta State representative at NPC also expressed concern on having youths that were not meaningfully engaged, as he warned that such youths would become snare to the society in the future.
Odibo cited the ongoing arm banditry in the Northern Nigeria to substantiate his claim, as he noted that the unknown gun men terrorising the northern region today were the ‘almajiris’ (wayward and less privileged male children) of yesterday.
He expressed disappointment over lack of interest of most youths in Niger Delta region in educational pursuit, noting that they were only interested in 419
(internet fraud), oil pipe line vandalism and other vices to earn a living.
While warning that such youths might become the unknown gun men in the Niger Delta region in future, he advised government, non governmental organizations (NGOs) to encourage youths in the region into educational pursuit and skill acquisition programs.
According to him, educational pursuit and skill acquisition were the ways to guarantee security of the future of the Niger Delta region.
