₦airaland Forum

Following the spate of violence across Ibadan, the Oyo State capital in recent times, Governor Seyi Makinde has proscribed the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state.

The government who declared the activities of the Union illegal with immediate effect also announced the taking over of all parks and garages in the state.

A statement signed by the Governor and read by his Chief of Staff, Bisi Ilaka enjoined the people of the state to go about their lawful duties without fear of molestation, adding that combined security task force in every community of the state have been charged to take control and maintain peace and order.

Ilaka who revealed the disclosure at the Executive Chamber of the Governors office said the decision was reached after a meeting with security stakeholders including the security chiefs in the state and government officials.

He said “While appreciating the good people of Oyo State for your steadfastness overtime and support for our administration, I want to reiterate our stand on the need to maintain peace and tranquillity in our state in order to engender commercial and human development.

“After today’s deliberation with Security stakeholders meeting involving security chiefs and Government, we have resolved to proscribe the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) until further notice.

“All activities of the Union remain illegal henceforth and we urge the people of the state to go about their lawful duties without fear of molestation, as combined security task force in every community of the state, have been charged to take control and maintain peace and order.

“To this end, all parks in the state have been taken over by the state government with immediate effect.”

Rival faction of the union has been in leadership battle since the electoral victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Government in the last Governorship and House of Assembly elections, with a group who claimed to be loyal to the new government has been threatening to take over power as soon as a new government is sworn in at the state government levels.

Pockets of violence skirmishes have been reported in different parts of the capital city including Iwo Road, Challenge, Beere, Ojoo among others with sporadic gunshots heard.

The fear of a return to reign of violence has engulfed the state since the victory of the PDP.

The intervention of the National leadership of the NURTW, led by Alhaji Najeem Yasin who visited the state to clear the air and assures that changes of leadership in the union is only through state congress and national convention and not violence, seems to have fallen on deaf ears as the factional group purportedly led by a former state chairman of the union sounded resolute on the change of power the moment the PDP government takes over at the state level.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appointed the PDP Senatorial Candidate for the Oyo South, Chief Bisi Ilaka as his Chief of Staff.

The appointment is Makinde’s first, few minutes the handover notes of the state was given to him at the Executive Chamber of the Governors office

Details shortly….

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has called for a review of Nigeria’s medical system so that doctors treat patients only in that aspect in which they have competence.

Comrade Oshiomhole said wrong diagnoses could be prevented by governments if it provides robust regulation on the health system.

Oshiomhole who spoke at the Founders Day and Launching of Endowment fund of the University of Bénin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) said his late wife, Clara, died of wrong diagnoses.

The APC National Chairman said he would have sued the doctors if it were in another terrain because his wife was a victim of quack medical doctors.


Comrade Oshiomhole said, “You visit a hospital, one doctor is gynaecologist, psychologist, pediatric, and the doctor treats everything. My wife was unfortunate to have been diagnosed as having something different while the cancer in her breast was growing.

“This generalized system of medical system is what we must review. It is not the task of government that things are not working. People elect government to make things work. That was why I decided to build what I called Five Star hospital to replace the decayed Central Hospital. I do hope that one day that hospital will open and you will see the equipment.

“One thing we need to do is appropriate compensation. When we have the right policy framework, the other level of compensation, people are paid according to, I believe doctors working outside the country will come back.”

Former Nigeria’s Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon hailed late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and late Prof. T Bello-Osagie for ensuring local people get access to tertiary health services instead of traveling to Lagos or Ibadan.

General Gowon expressed joy that the UBTH has served the people well.

He said, “In terms of training and research, the UBTH has performed excellently well in collaboration with UNIBEN.

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire. commended the UBTH management for conceiving the endowment fund.

Dr. Ehanire challenged Nigeria hospitals to aim higher and compete for excellence internationally.

Ehanire noted that the problems in hospitals in the country were not due to lack of equipment or expertise but a challenge of trust.

His words, “Improvement is urgently needed in all aspect from environmental upgrade to tip-top house keeping; from prompt and polite attention to patients at first point of call especially registration..

“It goes simply pumping more and more money into operations. It requires rededicating yourselves to fight wastage, leakage and damage; to better optimization of resources and assets.”