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D6 /<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 INDEPENDENT THE MOST READ NEWSPAPER AMONG THE POLITICAL AND BUSINESS ELITE Our View A recent report that about 2,500 Nigerian medical doctors of different cadre are going to leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad in September is worrisome. The survey which was conducted by NOIPolls in collaboration with Nigerian Health Watch, whose findings cut across junior, mid and senior level medical practitioners in both public and private medical institutions revealed that 8 out of every 10 medical doctors, representing about 88 percent of the medical doctors in Nigeria are currently seeking work opportunities abroad. Further findings by the survey show that out of about 72, 000 medical doctors registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, only about 35,000 are currently practicing in the country. Further checks from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) show that out of an estimated 40, 000 of its members in Nigeria, quite a number have since left the profession to venture into other areas. Also, the report highlighted that United Kingdom (UK) Executive Editor ❱ Ted Iwere Managing Editor ❱ Ade Ogidan Editor, Daily ❱ Don Okere Editor, Saturday ❱ Hazeez Balogun Editor, Sunday ❱ John Omachonu News Editor ❱ Charles Okoh Bureau Chief, North ❱ Tony Ezimakor Sport Editor ❱ Peter Edema Life Editor ❱ Yemi Adebisi Business Editor ❱ Sylvester Enoghase Politics Editor ❱ Temidayo Akinsuyi Chairman, Editorial Board ❱ Donatus Duru Head, Bus. Intelligence ❱ Kirk Leigh Photo Editor ❱ Kunle Ajayi Head Graphics ❱ Michael Jacob Digital Assets Manager ❱ Blessing Ameye Copy Sales Manager ❱ Andy Akukwe Advert Manager ❱ Folasade Agboola Chief Finance Officer ❱ Athenatius Chima G.M. Print Services ❱ Henry Eduwaye Head, Human Resources ❱ Bunmi Oni Directors Alhaji Gambo Lawan (Chairman), Otunba Olusola Adekanola, Ted Iwere (Managing), Adaobi Nwakuche Hotlines Newsroom: 08111813017. Circulation: 08077352800. Advert: 08054935517. Subscription: 08057523955 and the United States of America (USA) are the top destinations for the Nigerian medical doctors. Of course, there is a preponderance of erudite Nigerian medical practitioners in many other developed and developing nations- such as Canada, the Caribbean and Saudi Arabia who are doing quite well under conducive working conditions and better reward. For sure, this is undoubtedly a reflection of a Nigerian health sector that needs urgent governmental attention. In fact, the wanton lack of requisite facilities, work environment and conditions, career development, and low reward system are among the factors causing the massive exodus of the country’s medical personnel to other countries where they get it better. Unfortunately, government has not been able to do much in addressing the perennial challenges in the sector, thereby improving the working condition of medical doctors in the country and giving the profession its deserved pride of place. Often, the media had been awash with the news of one industrial action or the other by the members of the NMA VISION To be Nigeria’s First Truly <strong>Independent</strong> National Quality Newspaper OUR MISSION To produce a quality, vibrant and viable newspaper that will inform and form the nation’s present and aspiring political, business, economic and cultural leadership; challenge and inspire the nation’s journalists to advance and defend the public good; and deliver superior value to all stakeholders. EDITORIAL POLICY We shall be independent on all matters, but shall never be neutral on any matter, especially those concerning the well-being of Nigerians. © <strong>Independent</strong> Newspapers Limited, October 1, 2001 Stop The Brain Drain In Health Sector Now and its subsidiaries, due to poor welfare, working tools, and condition of service. There are also media reports that some doctors who have been recruited in some public medical institutions have not been paid for several months. Of course, these developments have worsened the conditions which are causing these doctors to leave the country in droves. It is even more worrisome that this phenomenon has, over time adversely affected health care delivery, in the sense that it has left enormous workload for the few available medical doctors. Currently, statistics show that the doctor-patient ratio in Nigeria is 1 : 4,250 patients, which is far below the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of 1 :600 patients. This is, certainly, not acceptable by any standard. Not a few experts believe that there is lack of faith by most Nigerian leaders on the country’s health system. Only this week, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reportedly cast aspersion on President Buhari’s long absence from the country for medical treatment abroad, insinuating that it was an indictment in the lack of confidence in Nigeria’s health sector. Therefore, to address the conditions leading to the mass exodus of many of the nation’s finest medical practitioners, it is imperative for government at both the federal and state to now declare some form of emergency in the nation’s health sector, with a view to revamping the entire system. This is a task that can no longer be delayed and must be pursued with an unalloyed political will. Perhaps, when government’s policy to restrict public officials from indiscriminate health tourism abroad is religiously implemented, it will do the country and its health sector a world of good. More so, we urge the NMA to encourage its members to form partnerships with a view to enhancing service delivery in the heath sector. Perhaps, as a form of incentive, government should grant some form of tax holidays to such consortium of doctors who are willing to go into such partnerships. With the required enabling environment created, the exodus of doctors would certainly minimise and the health sector would be better for it.
INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 /<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng D7 Your Views Articles/Opinions should be a maximum of 750 words sent with the writer’s photograph to: opinion@independentnig.com CROSSWORD with AYODEJI Ajayi 09084528388 (sms only) ayodejideajayi@gmail.com I recall vividly with profound pride and nostalgia that as privileged undergraduate in the then prestigious Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, several years ago, I can say, unequivocally, that the Nigerian education sector had public universities that were truly centres of excellence, in terms of meaningful teaching, learning, research, as well as sustainable partnerships and relationship between universities and their immediate environments. In those days, reputable public universities especially, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, were not only centres of academic excellence, they were also passionately patronised by many eminent parents and guardians that wanted their children and wards to attend these frontline universities. Consequently, it was not surprising that, unlike other public universities, this set of unique tertiary institutions attracted dedicated, hardworking, visionary, honest, intelligent, and detribalised Vice-Chancellors, Registrars and Bursars. The Vice-Chancellors were highly revered for discharging their responsibilities with unquestionable CHUKWUDI OBI On The Senate, Ports And Revenue Leakages One is constrained to join issues with “Mr. Yahaya Sadique”, supposedly a Kaduna-based writer over an article authored by him and published recently in THISDAY. The article entitled “The Senate, Ports and revenue leakages” is, to say the least, a disservice to the cause of truth. Although it hinges its premise on the ports and attempts by the senate to investigate alleged revenue leakages at the ports, it dwells extensively on a statement recently issued by respected elder statesman and former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Umar Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd). And that is really pathetic. One finds it distasteful that “Mr. Sadique” would disparage a man who has remained one of the most committed patriots and has never shied away from speaking his mind on national issue, no matter how contentious they are. To insinuate that the statesman is under the influence of the NPA, is to say the least, a disgraceful position not expected of anyone conversant with our national history and national interest at heart. But it does not seem that the writer under discussion is in tune with the current state of affairs going by the content of his article, especially as it concerns the NPA. Anyone familiar with the current state of affairs at the NPA would readily testify to the increasing level of transparency at the agency. Just on Tuesday this week, a report in The Nation quoted a statesman and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Probe Of Vice-Chancellors integrity and this was attributed to the unflinching support received from relevant stakeholders. But today, more than four decades after graduation, it saddens my troubled mind whenever I ruminate over the current decaying infrastructure, economic and financial rot, fast declining quality of education, mass production of unemployable graduates, as well as unending moral decadence bedevilling virtually all public universities across the country. As it is in public hospitals, including university teaching hospitals, often described as mere consulting clinics, most of the public universities are not better than glorified secondary schools. It is unfortunate that rather than set up the number of universities they can successfully cater for and ensure they are adequately funded for uninterrupted academic calendars, as well as world-class academic standards in terms of teaching, learning, research and quality of graduates produced, in-line with global best practices, successive administrations, especially since the return of civil rule in 1999, have indiscriminately established new universities, some of which have not fully taken off, based on primordial reasons such as politics and geographical location. No wonder rather than serve as citadel of outstanding academic accomplishments, compared with their counterparts on the African continent or indeed, worldwide, none of Nigeria’s public universities meets global standards. This explains why, except private universities, virtually all those owned by federal and state governments are continuously gasping for breath, largely due to inadequate funding, mismanagement and unbridled corruption. It is disgusting that these days, unlike in the past, Vice-Chancellors, Registrars Osoba as saying the following about the new administration at the NPA. “If anybody is complaining about Hadiza Bala Usman…it must be that such people are not transparent. And if you are not transparent and compliant to the rules and regulation of NPA, you will run into troubled waters with Hadiza Bala Usman.” How does this differ from Umar comments made about her just a few hours before Osoba said the foregoing? It is unfortunate that it is this same person that Sadique is accusing of not just embarking on a media campaign against the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise &Tariffs and Marine Transport, but recruiting “supporters” in an imaginary media trial. From what I have read about the NPA in the past couple of months, its management has shown commendable commitment to instituting a culture of transparency at the organisation. Concerning their relationship with the Senate, the only public comments that can be attributed to the NPA are those which offered explanations on issues raised by the Senate committees and went on to assure of its readiness to provide further information. Two examples of these are statements entitled: “NPA welcomes Senate’s investigation of its JV Enterprises,” published in the July 7, 2017 edition of Leadership and “No evidence of 282 missing vessels, says NPA,” published in the July 27, edition of THISDAY. From this, it is evident that the NPA does not need any mouthpiece to communicate its opinion to stakeholders in the Nigerian project. Having said that, there is a need to and Bursars of public universities, constantly visit offices of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning over alleged financial irregularities. This is shameful; whereas Vice-Chancellors, being Chief Executive Officers rather than corrupt political leaders, are expected to demonstrate sterling leadership qualities for others to emulate. Public university Vice-Chancellors are not different from politicians because they are appointed either by the President in the case of federal universities or by governors for those owned by state governments. Since many of such appointments are not based on merit but political, religious or personal considerations, the Vice-Chancellors have no option but dance rhythmically to tunes of their benefactors, at the expense of the success and survival of the university system, which is currently in a big mess. Like the sickening Nigerian polity, public universities have been polluted and require sweeping sanitisation for the entire university system to regain its lost glory. For years, accounts of many public universities have not been audited and this has given room for corruption. It is amazing that most of the reports of inquiry into financial irregularities involving some Vice-Chancellors, Registrars and Bursars are yet to be released. Also, those that were indicted in some state universities were merely sacked and allowed to go away and sin no more, instead of being penalised to serve as a deterrent. Having realised none of their indicted predecessors has been punished for financial profligacy, this has invariably emboldened more Vice-Chancellors and other principal officers to engage in corrupt practices. However, this raging endemic problem posing incalculable threat to survival of university highlight part of the report in ‘The Nation’ of August 3, 2017, which he quoted in his article. He had written: “…To support this position, which Col. Umar seemed to align to, the same publication stated more than four instances where vessels had come to Calabar Port and exited the Port without any proper documentation.” He went ahead to list these occasions when vessels were not properly documented and concluded that: “If these are true, then the NPA has tacitly admitted that, indeed, vessels enter the Nigerian waters and disappear without documentation. This tacit admission validates the position of the Senate that, indeed, vessels do enter Nigeria’s territorial waters under the watch of the NPA and exit without documentation, hence the Public Hearing by Senate to look at the revenue leakages in the Ports. This tacit admission by the NPA, therefore, explains the aversion of the MD of the Nigerian Ports Authority to honour the invitation of the Senate Committee and testify at the Public Hearing.” My own understanding of the part of the report in The Nation is different. In my own understanding, the ships quoted in the article by “Mr Sadique” have nothing to do with the 282 ships that were said to be missing. On the contrary, they explicate the conclusion of the investigations into actives of the Calabar Channel Management Company and the attempt to hoodwink the NPA by the appearance and disappearance of these ships which were supposed to have been deployed as part of the company’s dredging contract. Furthermore, in the THISDAY report of July 27, earlier cited, the NPA explained education in Nigeria must not be allowed to persist. Protection of interests of lecturers, students and the university system to ensure smooth operations on campuses to avoid disruption of academic calendars is now a paramount responsibility of owners of public universities. Recent disclosure by Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Adbulrasheed Abubakar, that Ibrahim Magu-led EFCC would soon commence investigations into financial irregularities involving some Vice-Chancellors and Bursars of federal universities is a welcome development that is long overdue. Apart from alleging that some VCs live above their means, Abubakar revealed that most of the 40 federal universities can hardly generate enough funds for themselves. I recall that earlier this year, President Muhammadu Buhari had hinted that his administration would probe federal universities. The president’s pronouncement clearly shows the disturbing level of financial rot in many federal universities and urgent need to stem the tide and save the system from total collapse. EFCC should in the spirit of government’s anti-corruption crusade, ensure the investigations are thorough and that those found culpable are severely punished to serve as a deterrent to others. Vice-Chancellors, by virtue of their sacred duties are expected to exhibit exemplary conduct in management of affairs of their institutions. Whoever indulges in corrupt practices no matter how highly connected, should face the wrath of the law. It is unacceptable for public university authorities to be agitating for full autonomy when their institutions continuously depend largely on grants from government and even funds collected are yet to be accounted for. that it was presented with a number of documents on July 20, 2017 while another set was passed on to it through the Nigerian Shippers Council on July 24, 2017. The report said after looking through the documents, the NPA discovered that of the 29 items handed over to it, only five vessels were identifiable with the other 24 items being repetitions of the five identified vessels. The THISDAY report further said the organisation was unable to conduct a meaningful review of the documents sent through the Nigerian Shippers Council because they did not include data like vessel names, arrival date of vessels, port of arrival, name of terminal and no rotation number of vessels, that will enable verification. It also said that the situation had been communicated to the Senate Committee. What is clear from the administration of the NPA is that it is committed to the war against indiscipline of Buhari administration. And as it concerns Col. Umar, one does not know what a man of his conviction, a man who stood against wrong decisions taken by his superiors in the military, should be accused of falsehood by “Sadique”. For me, Col. Umar called the attention of Nigerians to issues that are pertinent to national survival. It is a period in our country when men and women of virtue are scarce, Umar is one of such and we should not grudge him for identifying people like him and standing with them. No, we should not! Obi, a maritime business Analyst, wrote in from Lagos.
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