Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has lauded the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Gusau, Zamfara State, Dr. Bello Alhaji Mohammed, for his contributions to quality healthcare delivery.

In a press statement issued on Monday evening, FMC Gusau’s Public Relations Officer, Nazir A. Tukur (PhD), announced that Dr. Bello was honoured with an Award of Excellence and Outstanding Performance by NARD.

The statement noted that the award was presented at the Association’s 45th Annual General Meeting (AGM), Katsinan Dikko 2025, held in Katsina.

Dr. Bello, who assumed office in 2019, was recognised for his outstanding leadership, commitment to staff welfare, and contributions to improving healthcare delivery in Zamfara State and beyond. NARD described him as a leader who has raised the standard of care while inspiring younger generations of doctors.

According to the statement, under Dr. Bello’s leadership, FMC Gusau has witnessed significant improvements in infrastructure and service delivery. Completed projects include a 100-bed Mother and Baby Care Unit, a Paediatric Surgical Ward, House Officers’ Quarters (Phases I and II), and a Molecular Laboratory.

New departments such as Health Information Management, Community Medicine, Psychiatry, and a modern Works Unit have also been established to expand the hospital’s services.

Ongoing projects include the construction of a new Administrative Block, an expansive Emergency and Trauma Unit, the rehabilitation of the Amenity Ward, a befitting Isolation Centre, and Interns and NYSC Officers’ Quarters, supported by the Zamfara State Government.

Stakeholders described these initiatives as proof that Dr. Bello’s vision for FMC Gusau goes beyond short-term results, aiming instead at long-term sustainability.

The NARD FMC Gusau chapter commended him, saying his impact extends ‘far beyond the walls of our institution, touching lives, building systems, mentoring generations, and championing initiatives that uplift communities and strengthen our health system.’

Similarly, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), FMC Gusau chapter, praised Dr. Bello’s leadership and humanitarian gestures. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Sokoto, alongside senior members of NARD, also hailed him as a visionary whose stewardship has turned challenges into opportunities.

After over nine hours of intense negotiations, the high-level conciliation meeting between the Federal Government, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), and the Dangote Group ended in a deadlock late last night, leaving the fate of over 800 sacked workers hanging in the balance and the ongoing nationwide industrial action unresolved.

The meeting, convened by the Federal Government to avert further disruption to Nigeria’s energy sector, was attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi; PENGASSAN delegates led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo; and top representatives of the Dangote Group.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Comrade Osifo expressed deep disappointment over the failure to reach an agreement, stressing that the union’s position remained firm on the immediate reinstatement of the 800 workers dismissed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

‘We have been here for nine hours trying to find a solution. We’ve had numerous deliberations, even breaking into smaller teams to explore all possible resolutions, but unfortunately, there is no solution tonight,’ Osifo lamented.

According to him, the mass sack has placed the affected workers and their families in a dire situation.

‘All we want is justice for the over 800 people who were sacked. These people are fathers and mothers, and their careers are now at stake. When you terminate people the way they have been terminated, it becomes extremely difficult for them to find jobs anywhere,’ he explained.

Osifo added that some of those dismissed were trainees who had been accused of sabotage, a stigma he said could permanently ruin their careers in the oil and gas industry.

‘If they go home like this, there is no other company in Nigeria that will employ them because they have been labeled saboteurs. These are careers that would be destroyed if a proper remedy is not put in place,’ he stated.

Reiterating the union’s stance, the PENGASSAN leader declared that the strike continues until the workers are reinstated.

‘Our position has been very clear: if you reinstate these people tonight, we will call off our action tonight. But, unfortunately, that reinstatement did not happen, and we were not able to reach a conclusion. So they have asked us to come back again by 2 p.m. today. We pray that God touches the heart of the capitalists, the hearts of the oppressors, to call our people back to work. Until then, the strike continues,’ Osifo vowed.

Confirming the union’s claims, Osifo stressed that Dangote Group had admitted to dismissing the workers, pointing to official termination letters already circulating in the media.

‘Dangote Group agreed that they dismissed 800 people, and the reason was stated in the letters. It cannot be falsehood because the letters are already in the media. What they stated is already public, and it was signed in a communication they released last Thursday,’ he said.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, who presided over the reconciliation session, acknowledged that the meeting had made progress but emphasized that the reinstatement of the sacked workers remained the primary stumbling block.

‘We have agreed to reconvene today in the afternoon to continue the meeting,’ Dingyadi announced.

‘The reinstatement of the sacked workers is the only issue we are on. Apart from that, nothing else is lingering. We have made a lot of progress, the two main issues arebunionization and the reinstatement of the workers,’ he added.

On his part, Mr. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, expressed concern over the economic implications of the strike and the deadlock. He stressed that resolving the dispute was crucial to sustaining Nigeria’s fragile economic momentum.

‘What is utmost in the minds of everybody: the public, the government, investors, and economic actors generally, is that we need to limit the danger of this action to the economy,’ Edun said.

‘We need to wrap it up, resolve it, and get workers back to work. We need gas flowing, we need crude flowing as input into production, which is critical to where the economy is right now. We don’t want that momentum to be broken, and that is why we were here for nine hours trying to resolve this issue. We are optimistic that later today we will be able to break the deadlock, resolve it, and put this behind us so the Nigerian economy can move forward,’ he added.

The nationwide strike, which has disrupted operations in critical sectors, was declared by PENGASSAN following the mass dismissal of workers by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. The union has insisted that until the sacked workers are reinstated, industrial action will continue, raising concerns about potential shortages of refined products and disruptions in gas supply.

Former Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2023 elections, Dumebi Kachikwu, has called on Nigerians to use the occasion of Independence Day as a moment for national reflection and leadership accountability.

In a statement signed by him in Abuja to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, Kachikwu expressed concern over what he described as ‘decades of mostly failed leadership’ that have left the majority of Nigerians bearing the weight of hardship in silence.

‘On this day, I can’t help but think of the sacrifices of our heroes past and wonder what they would say if they saw the Nigeria they laboured and sacrificed for today,’ he stated.

The statement described ordinary Nigerians as the ‘true patriots’ who, despite economic hardship and social inequality, have continued to maintain peace and hold on to hope.

‘Proverbs 13:12 – ‘Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”

‘The question most Nigerians are asking their leaders today is: When will the Nigeria of their dreams emerge? When will this nation work for everyone, irrespective of tribe, tongue, or religion?’ he stressed.

While reflecting on the generational cycle of promises, Kachikwu noted that many Nigerians are now asking whether current leaders are capable of delivering a better Nigeria or if the search for such leadership must continue elsewhere.

The statement urged political leaders to treat Independence Day not merely as a ceremonial observance but as a call to conscience and action.

‘Let this Independence Day be more than just a date on the calendar. Let it be a call to conscience, a call to action,’ he emphasised.

The statement also commended the resilience of Nigerians and reaffirmed hope for a united and prosperous nation.

‘Happy Independence Day. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has said Nigeria and Russia are poised to strengthen bilateral ties using the platform of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA).

Odumegwu-Ojukwu stated this on Tuesday at the stakeholders’ interactive session during the visit of the Russian Chapter of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

She described the meeting as timely, noting that it afforded a platform for both countries to explore investment opportunities between them.

Though Nigeria and Russia share decades of friendship, cooperation, and solidarity cutting across education, defence, energy, technology, and multilateral diplomacy, she declared that the moment demanded that they go beyond history and look boldly into the future.

The minister acknowledged that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration was charting a new course through the Renewed Hope Agenda and the 4-Ds foreign policy approach, encompassing Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora.

She stated that the priorities of the administration involved inclusive growth, youth empowerment, and active engagement with global partners, which, according to her, were principles that resonate strongly with the mission of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu lauded the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for hosting the event, calling her an excellent example of the transformative power of women in shaping societies and building bridges across nations.

Welcoming the Russian delegation, on behalf of the First Lady, the minister said the decision of its Chairperson, Ms. Anna Nesterova, to bring the dynamism of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance to Nigeria was a strong affirmation of her commitment to building inclusive economic partnerships.

It also underlined the central role women were playing in reshaping global business, diplomacy, and investment for the 21st century.

Parts of the minister’s speech read: ‘In this regard, allow me to commend our gracious host, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for her tireless commitment to advancing the cause of women and girls.

Through initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda, she has championed women’s empowerment programmes, education for the girl-child, and support systems that enable women to thrive in business, politics, and community development.

Her leadership continues to inspire Nigerian women to break barriers, embrace innovation, and contribute more actively to national progress. It is most fitting that this session, in honour of the Russian Chapter of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, is hosted under her distinguished guidance.

‘The technical session before us offers an invaluable opportunity to explore areas of strategic cooperation. In trade and investment, Nigeria’s vast market, natural resources, and youthful population, combined with Russia’s technological expertise and industrial capacity, present opportunities for win-win partnerships.

In agriculture, collaboration can modernise production and boost food security. In energy, both traditional and renewable, there is enormous scope for cooperation. In digital innovation and education, we can empower our youth with the tools of the future. And across all these sectors, the active participation of women entrepreneurs and leaders will ensure that the gains of our partnership are sustainable, inclusive, and people-centred.

‘I wish to stress that this gathering is more than a symbolic event. It must serve as a platform for actionable outcomes, identifying frameworks for cooperation, establishing joint ventures, and building enduring networks between Nigerian and Russian women entrepreneurs.

Particular opportunities exist in agro-processing, education, creative industries, small and medium enterprises, and technology-driven businesses, sectors where women are already leading and innovating. By facilitating access to finance, knowledge, and markets, we can strengthen the economic pillars of both our nations.

‘Let me conclude by affirming Nigeria’s readiness to work closely with our Russian counterparts, and by extension the BRICS platform, to promote inclusive prosperity.

‘We are confident that the discussions here today will provide a road map for stronger bilateral relations, deeper people-to-people connections, and new opportunities that will uplift the lives of our citizens.’

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has named a 31-member Caretaker Committee to oversee the affairs of its Akwa Ibom State chapter.

The development followed the dissolution of the State Executive Committee by the National Working Committee (NWC) on Tuesday, in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution.

‘Consequently, the NWC approved the composition of a Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of our Party from today, Tuesday, 30th September 2025, for a period not exceeding three months, or until such a time a new State Executive Committee will be elected in the State,’ the National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Debo Ologunagba, said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Caretaker Committee is chaired by Igwat Umoren. His Deputy is Harrison Ekpo, while the Secretary of the Committee is Borono Bassey.

‘The NWC calls on all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party in Akwa Ibom State to remain united and continue to work together for the progress of the Party,’ the statement added.