The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has given the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to resolve outstanding welfare and professional issues affecting its members, warning that failure could trigger industrial action.

The ultimatum is contained in resolutions reached by the association at its 46th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday in Calabar.

The NARD National President, Dr Emmanuel Ogar, read the resolutions.

The resident doctors expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation of agreements reached between the association and the Federal Government, saying prolonged delays had become unacceptable.

They demanded immediate action on outstanding issues relating to remuneration, career progression, professional allowances, excessive workload, manpower shortages and the general welfare of resident doctors.

The association called for the immediate implementation of agreements reached with the Federal Government, particularly those relating to improved conditions of service and professional development.

It also urged the government to conclude the review of existing remuneration and professional salary structures for doctors, saying the current framework no longer adequately reflected prevailing economic realities.

The association demanded appropriate compensation for excess workload arising from manpower shortages in hospitals, noting that resident doctors were increasingly carrying additional responsibilities.

It called for standardised templates for compensation for excess workload and reliable data to justify payments to doctors performing duties beyond their normal responsibilities.

The association also expressed concern over attacks on health workers and called for the full implementation of policies and anti-assault measures designed to protect doctors and other medical personnel in hospitals.

It further raised concern over the continuing migration of doctors and other health professionals from Nigeria, saying the development had worsened manpower shortages and increased the workload on doctors who remained in the country.

NARD therefore urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to urgently address the factors responsible for the continued migration of medical

professionals.

The association also called on state governments to prioritise the welfare of doctors and other health workers employed by their respective institutions and ensure the implementation of relevant welfare policies.

It demanded improved infrastructure, adequate medical equipment and better working conditions in health institutions to enhance patient safety and improve healthcare delivery.

The resolution urged the National Assembly to strengthen budgetary provisions for healthcare, stressing that adequate funding remained critical to addressing challenges in the sector.

The association demanded the prompt payment of salaries and other entitlements owed to house officers and called for their inclusion in relevant welfare arrangements.

On electronic clocking systems in hospitals, NARD said it was not opposed to their deployment, provided they were properly implemented and used to support accurate data management rather than punish medical personnel.

It observed that several agreements and commitments reached with the Federal Government had remained unresolved despite repeated meetings and assurances.

The association therefore urged the government to use the two-week window to address the outstanding issues and avert a breakdown of industrial harmony in the health sector.

The resident doctors said resolving the disputes would improve their welfare, reduce burnout and ultimately enhance the quality of healthcare available to Nigerians.

The association also elected new national officers, with Dr Emmanuel Ogar emerging as president, alongside other members of the National Executive Council.

It urged the new leadership to pursue the implementation of the resolutions and sustain engagement with the government towards achieving improved conditions of service for resident doctors.(NAN)

From Rabiu Sanusi, Kano

Kano State has emerged as the leading state among the 36 sub-nationals of the federation in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).

The state recorded 74,413 candidates who obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, placing Kano ahead of other states, Lagos as second with 72,496 candidates and Oyo came third with 55,543 candidates.

The performance marks the second consecutive year that Kano has topped the NECO national performance chart, after recording the highest number of candidates with five credits, including English and Mathematics in the 2025 examination.

Reacting to the development, Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, commended the students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders for the outstanding performance.

Yusuf said the back-to-back performance was an indication that the state’s sustained investment in education was producing measurable results.

Kano has maintained the first position in NECO twice in a row making the state as the leading SSCE performer for the two consecutive years, (2025 and 2026) respectively.

He assured the people of Kano that his administration would continue to prioritise education through increased funding, improved learning facilities, teacher recruitment and training, scholarships and support for indigent students.

As part of the interventions, the state government spent over N4.4 billion in 2026 to sponsor candidates for Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, particularly indigent students.

The Governor said the intervention was designed to remove financial barriers and enable students to participate in the examinations under better conditions.

He said the latest NECO result was a continuation of the improvement recorded by Kano students under the present administration.

Education has consistently received the largest share of Kano State’s budget under Governor Yusuf over shooting the UNESCO benchmark.

In 2024, education accounted for about 29.95 per cent of the state budget. The allocation increased to N168.35 billion, representing 31 per cent, in the 2025 budget.

For 2026, the state allocated N405.35 billion to education, representing about 30 per cent of the N1,478, 829, 666, 130. 71 trillion budget.

The Governor said the investment goes beyond examination sponsorship to include classroom renovation, teacher recruitment, learning materials, uniforms, scholarships and other interventions aimed at improving the quality of education.

The administration’s education policies have also attracted recognition at national and international levels, with Kano fast becoming a leading education reform hub in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2024, Governor Yusuf received the Leadership Newspaper Governor of the Year Award for Education, while New Telegraph recognised him for educational development Governor of the year. The Nigeria Union of Teachers also named him its Teachers’ Friendly Governor of the Year for 2024.

In 2025, Blueprint Newspaper recognised Governor Yusuf as Governor of the Year for Education at the paper’s national conference in Abuja. While This Nigeria newspaper awarded him as courageous Governor of the year 2024.

His administration also received education-related recognition at International Space in London and Paris 2026, for its commitment to education with international literacy and learning award and the education spending award by the Universal Learning Solution and City University, Paris respectively.

Other national recognitions include the Vanguard Governor of the Year Award for Good Governance in 2024, the BusinessDay Governor of the Year Award in 2025, and African Governor of the year award by the African Leadership Magazine in Casablanca-Morocco.

Yusuf dedicated the latest NECO achievement to the students, teachers, parents and people of Kano State, assuring them that the government would sustain its investment in education.

He said the objective was to build an education system capable of providing Kano’s young people with the knowledge and skills required for higher education, employment, innovation and leadership as Kano has recorded over Five Million School children in the last annual school census.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on Nigerians to take the lead in promoting love, respect and positive disposition towards the country’s national symbols.

The Director-General of NOA, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a one-day capacity building workshop for NOA Symbols Ambassadors.

Issa-Onilu, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Special Duties, State Operations, David Akoji, described the ambassadors as important actors in promoting patriotism and national identity.

He urged the participants to become “the front line for promoting love for these national symbols” and encouraged Nigerians to respect them.

According to him, the responsibility of Symbols Ambassadors goes beyond knowledge of the national flag, anthem, pledge and other symbols.

He said the ambassadors should actively promote positive attitudes toward the symbols as expressions of Nigeria’s identity, history, sovereignty and aspirations.

Issa-Onilu said patriotism should be encouraged among citizens because Nigeria remained their country, irrespective of their place of origin or political differences.

“If anybody asks you why should I be patriotic? You should be patriotic because you are a Nigerian and Nigeria is your country,” he said.

He explained that citizens might have strong attachments to their communities, but those communities remained within Nigeria and formed part of the country’s collective identity.

“There will never come a time in this country when they will take your village to Senegal or Cameroon,” he said, stressing the enduring connection between citizens and their country.

The NOA director-general urged Nigerians to distinguish between dissatisfaction with the government and love for the nation.

He said citizens had the legitimate right to disagree with or criticise any government but should not allow such dissatisfaction to translate into hatred for Nigeria.

“You can feel dissatisfied with the government of any time period. It is your legitimate right as a citizen,” he said.

He, however, cautioned Nigerians against cursing or despising the country because of their grievances with the government of the day.

“But do not ever curse or despise your country. You will be making a very huge mistake,” Issa-Onilu said.

He also expressed concern about negative narratives about Nigeria, particularly those promoted by Nigerians themselves through social media platforms.

According to him, citizens should be conscious that their online comments and publications contribute to how Nigeria is perceived by people outside the country.

Issa-Onilu said some negative perceptions about Nigeria were strengthened when citizens repeatedly portrayed their country negatively on social media.

He urged Nigerians to balance criticism of national challenges with positive narratives that accurately reflect the country’s achievements, diversity and potential.

The NOA boss said Nigeria should not automatically be regarded as the worst country in every negative global indicator simply because Nigerians frequently discuss the country’s challenges.

He cited corruption and cybercrime as areas where Nigeria is often negatively portrayed, urging citizens to examine international data before making sweeping claims about the country.

“Nigeria is not ranking top among the world’s most corrupt countries, ” he said, while encouraging participants to examine available international statistics.

He similarly referred to global discussions on cybercrime and said Nigerians should avoid creating a narrative that portrays the country as synonymous with cybercrime.

“Russia does not have a country narrative of being cyber criminals. Nigeria does,” he said, attributing part of the difference to how Nigerians discuss their country publicly.

Issa-Onilu said Nigerians should therefore recognise their responsibility in shaping the country’s image through their conversations and activities on social media.

He urged the Symbols Ambassadors to use strategic communication to promote more balanced, constructive and patriotic narratives about Nigeria.

He described national symbols as significant components of the life of every nation and important instruments through which countries are identified in the international community.

“In the community of nations, countries are recognised by symbols such as the flags, the anthem, the coat of arms and other paraphernalia,” he said.

He consequently urged Nigerians to give due recognition and respect to the national symbols as representations of the nation’s collective identity.

Issa-Onilu expressed concern that some Nigerians displayed flags and symbols of other countries in their homes while showing little interest in displaying the Nigerian flag.

He said such attitudes reflected a misunderstanding of patriotism, particularly when citizens equated love of country with support for a particular government.

According to him, Nigeria has experienced different systems of government, including military administrations and democratic governments, yet the country has remained Nigeria.

He noted that Nigeria had been under democratic rule since 1999 and had witnessed successive administrations during the period.

“Your country will outlast all the governments that you keep seeing currently,” he said, stressing the enduring nature of the Nigerian state.

He maintained that citizens should therefore separate their loyalty to Nigeria from their opinions about any administration in power.

“Patriotism is love of country, not love of government,” Issa-Onilu said.

Director of Communication and Media of NOA, Bala Musa, said officers of the agency had responsibilities beyond communication.

Musa, who presented a paper titled “From Symbols to Citizenship: Strategic Communication and Public Engagement for Strengthening National Identity and Civic Responsibility in Nigeria,” described NOA officers as “custodians of the national values and ambassadors of civic responsibility.”

He explained that Nigeria’s national symbols, including the flag, coat of arms, national anthem, national pledge, Constitution and currency, represent aspects of the nation’s identity, history, sovereignty, aspirations and collective values.

In her address of welcome, the Director of Civic, Values and Democracy Education, Dr Oluremi Afolayan, described the workshop as “timely and necessary”.

She noted that it formed part of activities marking National Symbols Day observed annually on Sept. 16, while the 2026 celebration had been extended into a week-long national awareness campaign.

According to her, this features media engagements, road shows, school outreaches and other public enlightenment initiatives nationwide.(NAN)