News
Anxiety mounts as doctors’ strike enters second week
– NSCIA, pharmacists, others urge NARD to stop action
– NMA chides FG, state govts over lingering strike
– Over 100 million Nigerians may lose care, expert warns
ANXIETY is growing among the populace as the indefinite strike embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) nears two weeks amid loss of lives from the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
A public health expert yesterday warned of high casualty figures if the strike continues, while an official of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) hinted, also yesterday, that its members might join their NARD counterparts in the strike.
The last few days has witnessed the death of many prominent people from the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic while more than 816 deaths have been recorded from cholera in 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory since January.
The states affected by cholera outbreak include Benue, Delta, Zamfara, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kogi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Cross River, Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Enugu, Adamawa, Katsina and Borno.
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) yesterday urged the resident doctors to call off their industrial action. So also did the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, which blasted the striking doctors, saying that their action is unwarranted.
A public health physician, Dr Rotimi Adesanya, warned yesterday that the country could record an unprecedented number of deaths with the prevailing situation, particularly if there was something to the hint that NMA might join their NARD counterparts in downing tools.
In a telephone chat with our correspondent, Adesanya said: “We don’t need a soothsayer to tell us the implication.
“The implication is that, putting it in a lay man’s term, many people will die, because on a daily basis, there are people that are having life threatening diseases and the doctors are the ones that will help.
“These are the categories of doctors that are on strike. They are specialists. All the cases that cannot be handled at the primary and secondary levels, they are the ones taking care of them.
-The Nation
News
Drama as Delta workers boo Gov Oborevwori over minimum wage
Drama as Delta workers boo Gov Oborevwori over minimum wage
Delta State workers expressed their disappointment with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Wednesday as he failed to address the issue of minimum wage during the 2024 May Day celebration in Asaba, themed “People First.”
Anticipating news on the minimum wage, the workers were disheartened when the Governor concluded his speech without mentioning it, prompting them to chant, “no, no, no, we no gree, pay us our minimum wage.”
Despite the interruption, Oborevwori stood firm, stating, “Listen to me, listen to me, calm down, calm down, you cannot cajole me.”
The celebration, which included a march past by various affiliate unions, turned sour due to the workers’ dissatisfaction with the governor’s silence on the wage issue.
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According to a union leader, previous attempts to address the matter with the Governor proved futile.
In response, Governor Oborevwori announced plans to establish a committee to address the workers’ demand for salary increases amidst prevailing economic challenges. He praised the workers for their support and assured them of his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare.
“I have listened attentively to your requests, and I have taken note of them; they are, no doubt, legitimate demands and as a responsible government, I will deliberate with my team on how best to address them within the limits of the resources available to us,” he affirmed.
In a statement delivered by Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, he emphasized the importance of politicians keeping their promises, stating, “We want promise keeper politicians because, as workers, we keep records of promises.”
Drama as Delta workers boo Gov Oborevwori over minimum wage
News
Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others
Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others
Commercial banks in Nigeria closed 2.021 million bank accounts in the first quarter of 2024, Q1’24, to clean their books of questionable accounts and comply with regulatory orders on the linkage of bank accounts to the National Identity Number, NIN.
This is contained in a report by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, which also indicated that the number of inactive bank accounts grew month-on-month, MoM, by four million or 2.0 per cent to 19.7 million in March 2024 from 19.3 million in the previous month, February.
A bank account is classified inactive when it records zero transactions including deposits, withdrawals, transfers or point-of-sale transactions for six months.
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However, details of the “Industry Bank Account Database”, a monthly data reported by banks, and compiled by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, also indicated that the number of active bank accounts grew by 6.62 million or 3.0 per cent to 219.64 million from 213.02 million in February.
Recall that in December 2023, the CBN issued a directive to all commercial banks in the country to restrict tier-1 accounts without proper Biometric Verification Number, BVN, and National Identity Number, NIN, that are not linked by Thursday, March 1st, 2024.
According to NIBSS data on BVN enrollment count, 61.6 million Nigerians have BVN as of April 2024.
Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others
News
Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria
Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria
The Nigerian Senate has moved to clarify recent discussions regarding the minimum age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions.
The red chamber assured Nigerians that the current age requirement of 16 years has not been altered and that recent comments suggesting an increase to 18 years were personal opinions.
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Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adeyemi Adaramodu, emphasised that any changes to the age requirement would require legislative action following due process.
Adaramodu explained in an interview with journalists that comments made by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, about increasing the minimum age limit were not legally binding but rather personal opinions.
The Minister of Education had previously hinted at plans to review and raise the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions to 18 years.
Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria
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