From Rashidat AbdulRahman, Minna
Niger State Governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, has reassured that the state government would engage more workers to bridge the manpower gap being experienced in the state’s civil service.
Governor Bago stated this on Thursday at the 2023 delegate conference of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, held at Nurses Endwell Plaza, Chanchaga.
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba stated that the state government is yet to arrival at tackling the manpower issue in the state.
The Governor, however, said his administration was committed to addressing the issue of indequate manpower, and called on civil servants to be professional in the discharge of their duties.
He said that the issue of the state is paramount and remains one of the states doing better in terms of welfare, as it draws it salary using the national template, adding that there is need for scrutinization of civil service reforms.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr.Tukur Bello advised that delegates to cast their votes base on merit, emphasising that they should vote for those who have the interest of the people and not for their selfish desire.
He commended the nurses and midwives for their resilience and urged them to ensure that the younger ones in schools are invited to witness events like these.
Earlier, the out-going Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, Niger State Council, Mrs. Anna Simon disclosed that since assumption of office in 2019, the leadership of the union had embarked on different approaches to address some of the challenges to achieve the desired goals for the benefit of members and the general public.
She enumerated the challenges confronting members of the union to include: shortage of manpower and lack of replacement of retiring nurses with newly qualified ones among others.
Mrs Simon appealed for support and cooperation to be given to her successor to enable the person manage resources judiciously to achieve the desired goals, urging members not to be discouraged by the past events but forge ahead for the union to attain greater heights.
The out-going chairman appreciated Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago for the interest to transform the health sector, and appealed that whoever emerges should endeavour to carry others along, noting that election is not a do or die affairs.
