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Union Tells Tinubu To Appoint A Non-physician As Health Minister
The Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, has asked President Bola Tinubu to appoint a non-physician health minister even though it opposes the sale of teaching hospital facilities to private profiteers while the review of ministerial nominees continues.
Mathew Ajurotu stated to other medical professionals that the sale of the teaching hospitals will negatively effect their emoluments contrary to their perceptions in a letter to the President signed by the Acting National Secretary for the National President, JOHESU, and AHPA.
JOHESU argued that the salaries of 20% of the sector’s workers, which account for 60% of the personnel expenditures for the overall health staff in FHIs, are not served by the sales of Federal Health Institutions.
The health workers called for caution on the part of other medical professionals who have been assured that the sale of the facilities won’t affect them.
JOHESU/AHPA said that despite constituting 20 per cent of the total workforce in the sector, it is certain that private profiteers will fire them given reducing overhead costs.
According to them and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association, AHPA, those advocating for concessionaires are avaricious and would increase the healthcare problem and indexes.
The group pleaded with well-meaning Nigerians to take action and prevent the Federal Government from privatising the FHIs.
The letter further states: “Conscionable Nigerians should assist the Federal Government to be decisive in taking a position that the profiteers, concessionaires, greedy entrepreneurs and their collaborators in Government jostling to take over the FHIs be responsible enough to build their world-class health facilities like their presumed equivalents do in the global arena.
“Even in Nigeria today, we have a few tertiary hospitals like Duchess and Reddington Hospital which continue to make footprints in the sands of our evolving healthcare dispensation.
“In Lagos State, where the privatisation of healthcare was kick-started by these same dramatis personae, the experiment has failed. The privatised pharmacies which were about six at inception have failed in at least four of the centres at huge losses to the Lagos State Government, LASG.”
At the Federal level, the commercialisation of the Pharmacy facility of the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, collapsed and the concession of Garki Hospital, Abuja, has never been a value-added decision.
Today, that facility is a shadow of itself, as it has become inaccessible to a wide range of consumers of health in the Abuja area.
“We therefore strongly urge the Federal Government not to contemplate the privatisation of Teaching Hospital facilities to private profiteers. We must seize the discourse to advise other health professionals who have been promised that the concession of these facilities will not affect them to be wary and discern wisely.
“Private profiteers will naturally get rid of the block of health professionals whose wages consume 60 per cent of the personnel cost of the entire health workforce in FHIs even when they constitute less than 20 per cent of the entire personnel in the health sector,” it added.
Privatising FHIs, against healthcare equity, accessibility
JOHESU listed the consequences of concessions, privatisation, and outsourcing saying that it does not promote Universal Health Coverage, but would lead to inequity and accessibility rather than efficiency and profitability.
The letter further reads, “Given the monopolistic nature of health systems because of the inelastic nature of their demands, there is little or no probability of competitiveness. It follows that a monopoly that comes with exploitation becomes the order of the day.
“High charges generate crazy profits at the detriment of efficiency, which ultimately defeats the goal of accessibility to health facilities in real terms because health cannot be delivered to vulnerable groups.
“Equity and accessibility rather than efficiency and profitability should be the benchmark to measure performance in healthcare. Patient-care-centred services cannot be the hallmark of concessions and privatisation because profit is the watchword.
“In the proposed privatisation and concession models, the Government’s role is largely regulatory, which is at the same cost as owning the FHI. As stronger institutions outlive the weaker ones which further limits the availability and choices of the citizens, the monopolistic tendencies of formidable profiteers play out at the detriment of consumers of health.
“Privatisation calls to question the integrity of the management of the FHIs dominated by Physicians since the advent of the Teaching Hospital Act of 1985. It is the biggest confirmation of the failure of Physicians in the running of the public hospital system in Nigeria.
“How come these same facilities hitherto dubbed Centres of Excellence in some instances have suddenly become failed enterprises? The only explanation remains that Nigerian Physicians are not seasoned administrators or managers of cognate experience.
“The government, therefore, needs to tinker with the health system by reverting management of FHIs to professionally trained administrators and managers, while health professionals are allowed to embrace their areas of due competence in the public’s good. This is the trend which is in alignment with global best practices,” JOHESU added.
Increased drug costs, out-of-pocket expenses
The health workers further said that privatising teaching hospitals would increase the cost of drugs and diagnostic services which will lead to higher out-of-pocket expenses, leading to more difficulty in healthcare access.
The letter reads, “Generally, privatisation of health services is a precursor to the increased cost of drugs and diagnostic services which will naturally impact on out-of-pocket costs, leading to hardship and more stress junctures in accessing healthcare.
“The privatisation of health facilities is a hurricane that compounds unproductivity in healthcare. The preponderance of Nigerians who live in poverty and squalor will not be able to access or afford health and its major components, which include the use of safe and efficacious drugs in the event of this dreaded reality,” it added.
CEOs of FHIs, MDAs must take hospital management courses
While alleging that the MDAs are adjudged to be the most corrupt sector, JOHESU urged Federal Government to compel CEOs of FHIs, Departments, and Agencies to undergo Health Systems and hospital management courses.
The letter said, “In the interim, the FG must compel all the CEOs of the FHIs, Departments, and Agencies of the Health Sector to run administrative as well as management programmes in Health Systems with bias in hospital management. This will help these incumbent CEOs to administer albeit much better the FHIs, other Departments, and Agencies.
“The FMOH must however make it abundantly clear that it will no longer be automatic for erring CEOs of FHIs to complete their tenure of four years when found wanting.
“Permanently, the FG must return the business of hospital management and administration to seasoned administrators and managers of cognate experience.
“All health professionals who desire to head hospitals in Nigeria must henceforth undertake specialist management and administrative courses at post-graduate levels in specialised schools and institutes.
“These health professionals including Pharmacists, Physicians, Physiotherapists, Medical Laboratory Scientists, and other health workers must be made to study health administration and management in their reviewed curriculum even at the undergraduate level moving forward.
“The Federal Government is enjoined to encourage the management of FHIs that are ready to embark or consolidate the concept of amenity facilities in the FHIs. These services will be available to the nouveau riche who can afford such hyped services.
It will reduce health tourism and save the nation’s hard-earned forex.
“The militating bane remains the tendency to abuse these amenity facilities in FHIs by some of the CEOs.
“We at JOHESU/AHPA have had cause to send evidence-based complaints about misnomers in the handling of DRF Funds and mismanagement of amenity ward resources by some of the CEOs of FHIs.
“An outstanding instance was the report made on the MD/CEO of the NOH, Igbobi which made the FMOH initially declare its readiness to probe this MD/CEO until it later reneged on the probe,” it added.
Incentivise Health Workers Offering Surgeries, Pharmaceutical Care
JOHESU appealed, “Government must incentivise all health professionals and workers who render services including surgeries, pharmaceutical care, diagnostic services with agreed percentages of income realized as amenity allowances to compensate for their skills, time and the totality of their output.
“Your Excellency, as Ministers will be deployed to Ministries in the days ahead, JOHESU/AHPA reiterates its calls for the appointment of a non-Physician Health Minister to pave the way for the restoration of the hitherto great times when Health Administrators steered the ship of healthcare successfully to attract the likes of the Saudi Royal family to UCH, Ibadan in the ‘70s.
“This was the era our Health System was rated as one of the top five in the commonwealth,” JOHESU added.
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has condemned the recent killings and abductions in parts of the North-Central region, warning the Federal Government that Nigeria must not become a “killing field.”
Obi made the call in a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, following recent attacks in Benue, Plateau and Niger states.
He described the situation as a national security emergency and urged governments at all levels to take urgent and decisive action to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further bloodshed.
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“What is happening to our country? In recent days, deadly attacks have struck Benue, Plateau and Niger States, three contiguous states in Nigeria’s North-Central region.
“In Mangu, Plateau State, at least 23 people were officially reported killed in the Jwak Maitumbi attack, while residents put the toll above 30. More than 45 houses were reportedly destroyed.
“In Borgu, Niger State, recent attacks reportedly killed over 40 people and abducted more than 100, though the figures remain contested. This comes amid continuing violence in Benue, where communities face repeated killings, abductions and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.”
Obi said the attacks were particularly disturbing because Nigeria was not officially at war, yet citizens were being attacked in their communities.
“Nigeria is not officially at war, yet citizens are being attacked in their villages, abducted after prayers, driven from their homes and stripped of their farms,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor argued that the violence in Benue, Plateau and Niger should no longer be treated as isolated incidents, noting that similar attacks were occurring in other parts of the country.
He called on governments at all levels to strengthen security measures, improve intelligence gathering and rapid-response capabilities, rescue abducted Nigerians and arrest and prosecute those responsible.
“I urge governments at all levels to wake up to their responsibility and take urgent and decisive action to end this madness once and for all,” he said.
“Government must protect vulnerable communities, improve intelligence and rapid-response capabilities, rescue abducted Nigerians, and arrest and prosecute those responsible.”
Obi further stressed that the government should focus on preventing attacks rather than responding only after lives had been lost.
“We cannot keep counting bodies after every attack. We must prevent these attacks before they happen.
“Protecting lives and property is the most basic duty of government. Nigerians deserve nothing less. Nigeria must not become a killing field.”
The Kaduna State Government has disclosed that it has cleared about N18bn out of the pension and gratuity arrears inherited by the administration of Governor Uba Sani.
The state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed this in an exclusive interview on Saturday, attributing the development to increased allocations from the Federation Account under President Bola Tinubu.
Maiyaki said the additional resources had enabled the state government to intensify infrastructure development while increasing funding for agriculture, education, healthcare, transportation, security and youth employment.
According to him, the Uba Sani administration inherited about N24bn in outstanding pension and gratuity liabilities, alongside foreign and domestic debts.
He said, “When the governor assumed office, we inherited a backlog of debts, both foreign and domestic, which would have made it very difficult for the state to even pay salaries.”
The commissioner also disclosed that 115 road projects were ongoing across the 23 local government areas of the state, with more than half completed and covering over 1,400 kilometres of roads.
“Before now, 12 local government areas in Kaduna State had not seen even half a kilometre of road projects. But today, with the infrastructural development taking place in Kaduna State, 115 road projects are ongoing across the state,” he said.
Maiyaki explained that the road projects were designed to improve transportation, connect farmers and rural communities to markets, facilitate access to healthcare and strengthen security.
He cited a 35-kilometre road linking about 76 communities as one of the projects with significant socio-economic impact.
“We have a 35-kilometre road that has connected about 76 communities, particularly farming communities. This is one significant project that has helped provide farmers with access to markets and their farms,” Maiyaki stated.
Agriculture funding rises to N100bn
The commissioner said agriculture had received one of the biggest boosts from the increased revenue available to the state, noting that the sector contributes about 42 per cent of Kaduna’s Gross Domestic Product and provides approximately 60 per cent of employment.
He disclosed that the state’s agricultural budget rose from N1.4bn in 2023 to more than N100bn in 2026.
“This represents an increase in agricultural funding from 0.4 per cent to 11.6 per cent over the last three years,” he said.
According to Maiyaki, the increased funding had enabled the government to provide fertiliser and other inputs to smallholder farmers, as well as invest in irrigation, mechanised agriculture and extension services.
He said the state distributed 400 trucks of NPK and urea fertiliser to farmers in 2024 and another 500 trucks in 2025, while 150,000 smallholder farmers are being targeted for fertiliser distribution in 2026.
“Today, Kaduna State is the highest producer of maize, the highest producer of tomatoes, the second-highest producer of soybeans, and the highest producer of ginger in the country,” Maiyaki said.
Kaduna allocates N264bn to education
On education, Maiyaki said the state had sustained increased funding, keeping its allocation above the 25 per cent benchmark recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
He disclosed that more than N264bn was allocated to the sector in the 2026 budget.
The commissioner said the funds had been used to construct and renovate classrooms, recruit teachers and improve infrastructure in tertiary institutions.
“Over 75 secondary schools, including junior and senior secondary schools, have been constructed, while thousands of classrooms have been renovated,” he said.
He added that the investments had contributed to a reduction in the estimated number of out-of-school children in the state from about 550,000 in 2023 to approximately 187,000 in 2026.
CNG buses save residents N4bn
Maiyaki further disclosed that the state government had deployed 100 compressed natural gas buses to provide free transportation for civil servants, students, traders, artisans and other residents.
He said the buses had transported about four million passengers in one year, saving beneficiaries an estimated N4bn.
“Over the last one year, the introduction of the CNG buses has transported about four million people, saving them about N4bn at no cost to our people,” he stated.
Kaduna records no religious conflict in three years
On security, the commissioner attributed improved security and freedom of movement across the state to the combination of road construction, social interventions and the Kaduna Peace Model.
Maiyaki claimed that the state had not recorded a religious conflict in the three years since the Uba Sani administration assumed office.
“One of the key outcomes of our investment in peace and security is that, over the last three years since the assumption of office of His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State, we have not witnessed a single religious conflict in Kaduna State,” he said.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has highlighted the revival and completion of abandoned capital projects as one of the major achievements of his three-year tenure in the FCT.
Wike spoke on Saturday after inspecting major infrastructure projects across Abuja, as he reflected on the achievements of his administration since assuming office on August 21, 2023.
According to the minister, his administration has focused on reviving abandoned projects, completing critical infrastructure and delivering new projects to transform the nation’s capital.
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He also announced plans by the FCT Administration to publish a comprehensive report detailing projects completed and initiated during his tenure.
Wike said the report would cover projects inherited from previous administrations and completed under his watch, as well as new projects awarded by his administration.
He said his team had remained committed to its mandate despite the challenges encountered since taking office.
“I am happy that in these three years in office, our team has remained completely committed to doing the job.
“Challenges have come, but we have been able to surmount them.
“The residents of the FCT can attest and testify that indeed things have changed for the better,” he said.
The minister said the administration had prioritised aggressive infrastructure delivery, urban renewal and the completion of critical projects to change the narrative about Abuja.
“When we came in, many doubted what could be achieved. Today, you can see the results for yourself,” Wike said.
Wike further said his administration had revived and completed critical capital projects abandoned by previous administrations, some of which had remained uncompleted since 1999.
“The track record of what we have accomplished in these three years is there for everyone to see.
“When you look at the actual records of what we have achieved, you will be shocked at how far we have come,” he added.
The minister expressed satisfaction with his contribution to the development of the FCT, saying he was proud of the progress recorded during his three years in office.
“I am very happy and proud that I have been able to contribute my own quota to the development of the FCT,” he said.
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