Nicholas Dekera, Kaduna

The Medical Director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Kaduna Dr Aishatu Armiyau has won the Minister of Health Unique Award for year 2024.

Speaking during the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Dinner and Award Night held on Wednesday, at the hospital Premises, Dr.

Aishatu Armiyau said “we celebrate hard work dedication and integrity. So base on the Public Service Rule 2021 there’s a section which recommends motivation for hard working staff, some of the awards are from the public service rule, while some are awards given to retirees, in the last two years there a cash reward for staff of the month award and at the end of the year, the staff of the year award is also given and fortunately this year I got an award, the Minister’s Unique Award. And I didn’t know about it. This award is very dear to me, because it is given by my staff who voted and came out with my name, I would have stepped it down if I had know earlier but they refuse to tell me because they felt that I deserve to get that award and I am please and am Happy to have that award of Excellence, my staff are my back bone, I have been here leading as a leader not as a boss and I have a fantastic team of players and it’s like a chess game and this our Chess Game now has become a good team not a group working to getter. “

Earlier while announcing the staff of the month award, the Medical Director commended the staff for hard work, Mrs Hamira Sani. She announced a twenty five thousand naira prize for her for emerging as staff of the month.

Integrity Award of the year Balarabe Usman and the Medical Director Staff Award of the year went to Mrs Blessing Luka
According to Dr. Aishatu Armiyau ” from 23rd of August 2022 when I resumed work here, I come to work by 6:35 am yet this staff, Luka Blessing comes before me”

While announcing a scholarship for Luka Blessing Child for 3 academic sessions she said staff must hold their jobs with integrity.

On dialysis and other non medical treatments Dr. Aishatu Armiyau said, ” Health is not compartmented, for me health is whole and if we are dealing with people that have mental issues then they will definitely have other issues and during the COVID-19 erra, the COVID -19 funds were gotten by the hospital and the hospital now have a COVID-19 section with equipments they were already bought and were not put in use, Government cannot spend billions to bring in Dialysis machines, ultrasound machines, x-ray machines, molecular lab machines and we put them into use and we breach the gap.

The Director-General of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmad, has advised corps members to stop thinking of relocating back to their communities, emphasising that life does not end there.

Report says that Ahmad spoke when he visited the NYSC temporary orientation camp on Friday in Kaduna.

Addressing corps members of the 2024 batch ‘C stream ‘I’ currently on the mandatory three-week orientation course, he urged the corps members to find home anywhere they were posted to, emphasising the importance of adapting to new environments.

Ahmad emphasised that the corps members must find a sense of belonging wherever they were posted, stating that such mindset was crucial for a successful service year.

According to him, embracing new experiences and being open to change can lead to personal growth and development.

He urged the corps members to focus on making a positive impact in their host communities.

The director-general encouraged them to be proactive and seek opportunities to contribute to the development of their host communities.

He urged them to respect the cultures and traditions of their host communities, advising, ”remain peaceful and resilient as you add value to the community you are posted to.

”I am sure many of you will choose to remain here after your service. You should also take security seriously.

“Your security is our concern, but no one can secure you more than yourself.”

Ahmad underscored the importance of skills acquisition and entrepreneurial development of the scheme.

He urged the corps members to take advantage of the programme to become not just self-reliant, but job and wealth creators after their service year.

“Skills acquisition is designed to make you independent, self-reliant and productive.

”The Federal government is out to ensure that youths are supported and empowered so they can stand on their own.

“Thousands of your predecessors who maximised the opportunity are now independent,”Ahmad said.

The director-general however warned the corps members on unauthorised and night travels, indecent dressing, among other acts that may project the scheme in bad light.
(NAN)

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to protect the Tertiary Education Trust (TETFUND) from being abrogated under the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024.

Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the President of ASUU, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Osodeke said that the proposed bill was worrisome and also posed potential danger to the Tertiary Education Trust (TETFUND).

“ASUU has observed with keen interest the ongoing debate on the review of the tax system in the country under a proposed bill tagged, Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024.

“This is currently before the National Assembly. Arising from the tax bill is the proposed abrogation of the education tax.

“ASUU is alarmed by this dangerous and unpatriotic aspect of the proposed new tax regime,” he said.

According to Osodeke, the bill proposed that education tax, called development levy, used to bankroll TETFund’s programmes should be ceded to the newly established Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

“TETFund will also receive 66.7 per cent in 2027, 2028 and 2029 years of assessment but zero per cent in 2030 year of assessment and thereafter,”he said.

He said that the far-reaching consequence of the new tax system is that from 2030, all funds generated from the development levy would be passed to NELFUND.

He said that ASUU found the development not only worrisome but also inimical to the national development objective due to the potential danger to the survival of TETFund.

Osodeke said that TETFund has been viewed as the backbone for infrastructural development, postgraduate training and research capacity building in Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions in the
last 15 years.

He said that ASUU had resolved not to stand by and watch the denigration or obliteration of TETfund which represents a positive testament to its constructive engagements with Nigerian governments since 1992.

“It is our considered view that abrogating the TETFund Act 2011, by design or default, will be a great disservice not just to education but to Nigeria as a nation.

“As a result, ASUU is urging members of the National Assembly to do all within their capacity to protect TETFund from being abrogated under the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, ”he said.(NAN)