₦airaland Forum

Hi has anyone been shortlisted for nlng scholarship interview??

AEDC Asokoro brought 15,830 bill for my self contained apartment.

Any core i5 laptop with good battery for sale??

Levy this, levy that. The current NMA building is big and beautiful, we don't need another one. Stop20kNMA buildingLevy

A better analysis and solutions to the current crisis by Dr Ibrahim Toli. Enjoy it.
Never ending health crisis

GL 1
GL 2. CONHESS 1
GL 3. CONHESS 2
GL 4. CONHESS 3
GL 5 CONHESS 4
GL 6 CONHESS 5
GL 7. CONHESS 6
GL 8 CONHESS 7
GL 9 CONHESS 8
GL10 CONHESS 9 CONMESS 1
GL12 CONHESS 10 CONMESS 2
GL13 CONHESS 11 CONMESS 3
GL14 CONHESS 12 CONMESS 4
GL15 CONHESS 13 CONMESS 5
GL16 CONHESS 14 CONMESS 6
GL17 CONHESS 15 CONMESS 7

For the benefits of those asking us what is really happening currently in the tertiary health sector. The conflict centres around MONEY and LEADERSHIP positions which in turn is link to money. Other confounders are gross indiscipline, ego, lack of job description, failure of supervision and conflict of interest. As a whole, it is a systemic failure needing urgent, radical and wholistic repair to prevent complete collapse.

There are currently two salary structures in the public tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. They are called CONMESS for medical doctors and CONHESS for all other hospital workers including those in the administration and accounts. CONMESS was born on 29/09/2009 via the circular SWC/S/04/S.410/220 while the CONHESS was born on 08/12/2009 through the circular SWC/S/04/S.410/Vol.II/349 of National Salary Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) respectively. Both the two salary structures are consolidated and derived from the traditional grade level (GL) system as shown above. Note that there is no GL 11 in the traditional grading system for all civil servants which is taken care of in both CONMESS and CONHESS, hence the APPARENT lack of level skipping in them.

The States and local government councils are still using the traditional grading system and pay less than the FG. To my knowledge only Yobe State has just started paying health workers exactly as the FG!

I will be using the traditional grade level system for ease of understanding. Very very few people including those in the Accountant General of the Federation's office easily comprehend the interrelationship of the 3 salary scales.

Between 1998-2013, doctors and any other hospital worker of equivalent level had identical basic salary while between 2009-2013 they had identical basic salary, hazard and teaching allowances. The differences were in call allowances where doctors earned higher and specialist allowance to medical consultants or specialists on GL 15-17 only. Note that doctors on GL 15-17 that are not specialists are not PAYED specialist allowance. In 2014 relativity was restored where the basic salary of doctors became 20-50% higher than equivalent levels of other hospital workers from GL 13-17 only. There had always been differential pay relativity between doctors and other health workers from 1960 to 1998 at various ratios. In the years 1998-2013 that was when relativity was lost. When it was restored in 2014, the conflict resolution compromise was to forgo 25 years of arrears.

After graduation from medical school, a doctor practices for 12 consecutive months under supervision of a specialist or a very senior doctor of no less than GL 15 before given licence to practice independently. These group of doctors are called house officers. Pharmacists, degree nurses and medical lab scientist have similar program and they are called interns. They are employed at GL 10 for doctors and GL 9 for the other 3 until around 2013-2014 except for degree nurses that started internship around 2016-2017. Both earn salary for one year only because of the services they offered, but they are not regular staff and hence not the entry points in to civil service.

The entry points (post NYSC) for doctors in to civil service were GL 12, pharmacists GL 10, medical laboratory scientists GL 10, degree nurses GL 9 and non degree nurses GL 8 in the tertiary public hospitals. In contrast entry point for degree holders in other ministries is GL 8. In 2013 the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) passed a judgement for skipping of GL 12 for health workers on CONHESS ie any other hospital worker except doctors. So the entry point of pharmacists, medical lab scientists (and degree nurses around 2017-2018) still remains GL 10 with skipping of GL 12 around 2013-2014. In view of this, the entry point of doctors now shifted to GL 13 between 2016-2017. Other health workers are variously employed at GL 8-9.

Medical doctors can pursue their post graduate studies through Residency Training Program (RTP) or traditional postgraduate degrees of MSc and PhD otherwise they join the public service like any other degree holder. Doctors that join the RTP in tertiary and teaching hospitals are called Resident doctors. They gain entry only after passing an exam with a pass rate of 35-45% and average waiting time of 2-4 years. They are doctors under training to become specialists. They are temporary staffs throughout the training and get promoted only after passing exams, 2-4 years after starting the program in the first stage and 3-5 years in the second stage. This is a privilege enjoyed by 15-25% per exam. The specialist exams are conducted twice a year in Ibadan and Lagos. Other health workers including specialist medical doctors are permanently employed in the hospital. The latter are also University lecturers for teaching, research and supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students including non doctors.

Medical doctors with first degree in the University are employed as Lecturer II similar to PhD holders while every other degree holders are employed as Graduate Assistants, in the military doctors occupy the rank of equivalent of army Lieutenant and 2nd lieutenant in others, DSP and ASP in police, in Custom and Immigration same, SIO1 and SIO2 in DSS respectively.

The other aspect is that of leadership.

a) At present both the substantive and State ministers are medical doctors (prerogative of Mr President).

b) The following are departments in the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), ii, iii and iv are headed by medical doctors http://www.health.gov.ng/index.php/department/84-departments.

i) Department of Procurement with two divisions; capital and recurrent.

ii) Department of Family Health with five divisions; Child Health, Gender adolescent school and elderly care, Health promotion, Nutrition and Reproductive Health.

iii) Department of Health Planning Research and Statistics.

iv) Department of Public Health with eight divisions; Non-communicable diseases, Neglected Tropical diseases, Occupational health and safety, Port health services, National Tuberclosis and Leprosy Control Programme, National Malaria elimination programme, HIV AIDS and Epidemiology services.

v) Department of Finance and Accounts.

vi) Department of Human resources.

vii) Department of Food and drug services.

c) The following are agencies under FMOH http://www.health.gov.ng/index.php/department/79-the-ministry. Agencies i, iii and iv are headed by medical doctors.

i) National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

ii) National Agency for Food & Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

iii) National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

iv) National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).

d) All the chief executives of tertiary hospitals are specialist medical doctors (Act of the National Assembly). There are 13 Federal Specialty Hospitals, 21 Federal Medical Centres and 22 Federal Teaching Hospitals http://www.health.gov.ng/index.php/department/83-parastatals.

e) The following are directorates in the tertiary hospitals

i) Director of Clinical Services and Training/Chairman Medical Advisory Committee headed by specialist medical doctor. There are divisions like 2 deputies headed by specialist medical doctors, (deputy) director nursing headed by a nurse, (deputy) director pharmacy headed by a pharmacist.

ii) Director of Administration headed by an administrator with divisions that include establishments, account and supply, audit, expenditure, works, nutrition, kitchen, laundry, security, etc.

f) Headship of clinical departments, clinical and training laboratories in the tertiary hospitals for teaching, training and research of undergraduate and postgraduate students. They are all headed by specialist medical doctors/unversity lecturers and in the laboratories they are also called Pathologists with units headed by optometrists, radiographers, medical scientists, technicians etc.

In my opinion the solutions to the unending crisis in the health sector are mainly,

1. Implementation of the Presidential Committee of Experts on Inter-Professional Relationship in the Public Health Sector report by Yayale Ahmed committee submitted to FG on 19/12/2014.

2. Invitation of "foreign" experts like PricewaterhouseCoopers and Agenda for Change for proper job evaluation and placement.

3. Consideration for law amendments and the movement of all tertiary hospitals under affiliated universities. They also have their issues, but they seem to be relatively more stable. There is high academic loss in the current setting.

4. Strengthen and make wholistic coverage the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and then privatise all tertiary hospitals. Both LGA, States and FG shall concentrate in primary and secondary health care services especially the former. In my limited opinion, this is the best long term solution to our low quality health care services in Nigeria. There shall also be active support for purely private investments in health. The investors will decide who heads or leads who, what, which and how.

5. Positions of leadership in the FMOH, parastatals and its agencies can be tackle by the FG as it deems fit.

You can correct me where I erred. May God forgive my mistakes.

Aknowledgement: Dr N.L. Orhue, my friends in other climes.

ibrahim Toli
doctoli@gmail.com

Adopt YAHAYA AHMED report,or choose technocrats to go n see what obtains in UK,US ,AUSTRALIA and other developed countries. If both parties are not satisfied yet,privatize the health sector.

please do you sell new TV?

Dear BigBrotherNigeria organizers,
I know your goal is to make maximum profit,you can actually make this your profit and still contribute to Nigeria's economy and youth development by promoting brain tasty programs and not "them shenanigans".
In your subsequent episodes,you can help bring Bring back our Zain African Challenge,The debaters,Apprentice and dragon's Den programs and let's see how altruistic you are by helping our young girls and boys to develop their cerebrum (part of the brain for reasoning and problem solving),leave their limbic system(emotional brain) for now. Nigeria is bad enough, Its unfortunate we didn't have a say during genetic lottery but please don't contribute to the existing intellectual malaise and proclivity nature.
You don't have to change the name of the show, just change the content.
LetTheChangeBeginsWithYou.

now that buhari has spent our money finish just to discover oil in the north east. why not call for dissolution when una never get oil

Denvan:
Kudos to you. Sign of seriousness...read over 170 pages in two days!!! That's great.

yes o, the best option now is to leave this country, can come back when Nigeria gets better.

One of the best thread have read on nairaland so far. started from page 1yesterday and here I am. kudos to everyone who has contributed to this thread God bless you all.

please add me to the facebook page. gbengakehinde@gmail.com

Please admin add this number 07036538591

MY DEFINITION OF CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOU
Kehinde Falayi

It's December 2016,we need to make 2017 a better year for our dear Country. I was in a conference last week and the speaker asked who amongst us knows the name of his/her ward Counsellor,LGA Chairman,House of Assembly guy representing his/her constituency and State
Commissioners ? Out of about 30 of us just one person could mention one out of all.If you don't know who represents you, how will you access him and demand answers to how he spent public money allocated to developing your constituency? This problem is peculiar to majority of Nigerian youths,we talk the talk but we don't work the talk yet we have the power of social media in our hands.
I believe our leaders know what to do but because we have refused to question them, that's why they have refused to start working.
If you don't feel the presence of your ward Counsellor, LGA Chairman,Medical Director in your towns General Hospital,Etcetera how will you feel Federal Government impact?
My submission is let us all go back to our constituency in our hometowns and place of residence and know this folks first,lets be familiar with our state Budgets for the year and the percentage that goes to each ministry,know the roles of each arm of government,know which of them is responsible for your constituency projects. Get their numbers or email ask them what they are doing with money, take pictures of that bad road,that dilapidated health centre, that slum in your area,record videos of that law enforcement officer taking bribe,write and publish articles on social media with those tools, include the man's name and pictures let your people know who's diverting their money and Let's keep retweeting,rebroadcasting,sharing consistently for months until it gets to them. I believe no one wants to be called bad even the most cruel man will want to act good. Things will start changing,our leaders will start working when we start acting. Those folks don't care because we don't ask them questions,Let's start somewhere.
I submit..

kefalayi@yahoo.com

Drhope please this is my email kefalayi@yahoo.com kindly send me materials too for Gre.

When will EFCC start probing APC campaign fund. Abi na paper them use fund private jet and campaign throughout 36 states

http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/ubochi/0327215.html Achievements of GEJ

Rehabilitation of Anka-Daki Takwas-Gummi road in Zamfara State. Reconstruction and Pavement Strengthening of Ikom-Mfum Road in Cross River State.
69) Reconstruction of Abakaliki-Mbok (Ogoja Junction) in Ebonyi and Cross River States.
70) Rehabilitation of Okija-Uli-Oguta Road in Imo State.
71) Rehabilitation of Asphalt Overlay of 2km Access Road to the Federal Science & Technical College in Edo State.
72) Rehabilitation of Hadejia-Nguru Road, Phase I (Hadejia-Kirikasama Section) in Jigawa State
73) Rehabilitation of Benin-Ofosu Highway in Edo State.
74) Construction of 2 No. Bridges alogn Auchi Polytechnic-Ekperi- Agenebode Road in Edo State.
75) Rehabilitation of Access Road to Ejigbo NNPC Depot in Lagos State.
76) Rehabilitation of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway (Section I) in Lagos State.
77) Rehabilitation of Ipele-Ishua Road in Ondo State.
78) Periodic maintenance of Jebba-Lafiaji Road in Niger State.
79) Periodic maintenance of Takai-Albasu-Gaya Road in Kano State.
80) Periodic maintenance of Nafada-Gombe Abba Road in Gombe State.
81) Periodic maintenance of Hong-Mubi Road in Adamawa State.
82) Periodic maintenance of Okpala-Igwurita Road in Imo State.
83) Periodic maintenance of Ado-Ilumoba-Agbado-Ikare Road Section A in Ekiti State.
84) Periodic maintenance of Dingaya-Galambi-Rungo Road in Sokoto State.
85) Periodic maintenance of Rumukurshi-Chokocho Road in Cross River State.
86) Periodic maintenance of Akure-Owo Road in Ondo State.
87) Periodic maintenance of Ado-Ilumoba-Agbado-Ikare Road Section B in Ekiti State.
88) Periodic maintenance of Kurfi-Chiranchi Road in Katsina State.
89) Periodic maintenance of Lafiagi-Mokwa Road in Niger State.
90) Periodic maintenance of East-West-Odi Road in Bayelsa State.
91) Periodic maintenance of Lafia-Doma Road in Nasarawa state.
92) Construction & Rehabilitation of Vandeikya-Obudu Cattle Ranch Road,
Phase I in Benue State.
93) Construction of Abriba-Arochukwu Road, Phase I in Abia State.
94) Rehabilitation of Makurdi-Gboko Road, Phase I: Wunnune-Yendev Section in Benue State
95) Construction of Ohafia-Oso Road in Ebonyi/Abia States.
96) Rehabilitation of Section 1A of Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega- Kontagora-Makara Road, Phase I in Sokoto/Kebbi/Niger States.
97) Reconstruction of Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Kontagora-Makara Phase I, Section I in Niger State.
98) Reconstruction of Kunya-Kanya-Babura-Babban Mutum Road Phase I in Jigawa State.
99) Construction of Zing-Yakoko-Monkin Road in Taraba State.
100) Rehab. of Alkaleri-Bauchi Road in Bauchi State.
101) Construction of Aguoba-Owa-Mgbagbu Owa Ebenebe (Anambra State Border) with Spur to Aaha-Iwollo Road in Enugu State.
102) Constr. of Offa By-Pass at Offa in Kwara State. 31.87%
103) Construction of Ikot Ekpene Border-Aba-Owerri Road, Section I, Phase I in Akwa Ibom/Abia/Imo States. 21.95%
104) Rehabilitation of Calabar Ugep-Ogoja-Katsina Ala Road, Section I (Calabar-Ugep) in Cross River State. 53%
105) Reconstruction and Expansion of Lagos-Ibadan Dual Carriageway, Section I (Lagos-Shagamu) in Lagos/Ogun States -11.0%
106) Reconstruction and Expansion of Lagos-Ibadan Dual Carriageway, Section II (Shagamu-Ibadan) in Ogun/Oyo States -8.93%
107) Construction of Yenegwe-Okaki-Kolo Road in Bayelsa State -46.05%
108) Rehabilitation of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Section II, Phase II in Lagos State.
50.53%
109) Rehab. of Mokwa-Bida Road in Niger State-25%
110) Rehabilitation of Akure-Ilesha Road in Osun/Ondo States-20%
111) Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Enugu-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway, Section I (Lokpanta-Umuahia Tower) in Abia State - 8.02%
112) Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Enugu-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway, Section II (Umuahia Tower-Aba Township Rail) in Abia State-3.5%
113) Under Water Inspection, Assessment of Pilings, River Bed, Bathymetric Survey, Profiling and Echometric Test of Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State-100%
114) Construction of Kankara-Gurbi Road in Katsina State-0.1%

URE-P & ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
23) ROAD CONSTRUCTION- DUALIZATION: Dualization of five (5) key arterial roads - Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja Highway.
24) DUALIZATION: Kano-Maiduguri Highway,
25) RECONSTRUCTION AND DULAIZATION: Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
26) RECONSTRUCTION AND DUALIZATION: Benin-Ore-Shagamu Expressway.
27) RECONSTRUCTION AND DUALIZATION: Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan Expressway.
28) CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES: The new Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue linking Nasarawa and Benue States.
29) CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES: The Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha/Asaba linking Anambra and Delta States.
30) COMPLETION OF 62 ROADS ACROSS THE NATION: Oturkpo-Oweto Road (Section in Benue State
31) Completion of Otukpa-Ayangba-Ajaokuta-Okene Road in Kogi State.
32) Completion of Ningi-Yadagumgume-Fuskar Mata Road (Phase II) in Bauchi State.
33) Completion of Yana-Shira-Azare Road in Bauchi State.
34) Completion of Wukari-Takum Road in Taraba State-
35) Completion of Benin-Ofosu Expressway in Edo States.
36) Completion of Enugu-Abakaliki Road in Enugu/Ebonyi States.
37) Completion of Ogoja Junction-Ikom Road in Cross River State.
38) Completion of Ado-Ilumoba-Agbado-Ikare Road in Ekiti State.
39) Completion of the Dualization of Ibadan-Ilorin road section I (Ibadan - Oyo) in Oyo State.
40) Completion of the Reconstruction of Vom-Manchok road in Plateau State.
41) Completion of the Repairs of 3rd Mainland Bridge (Phase II), covering additional works for the replacement of 8Nos. Expansion Joints in Lagos State.
42) Completion of the Dualization of Onitsha-Owerri Road (Section I) and Onitsha Eastern Bypass, in Anambra State.
43) Completion of the Rehabilitation of Uba-Mbalala road in Borno State.
44) Completion of the Rehabilitation of Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto road (Section II: Gusau-Talata Mafara) in Zamfara and Sokoto States.
45) Completion of the Rehabilitation of Obiozora-Uburu-Ishiagu Road in Enugu and Ebonyi States.
46) Completion of the Access Road to Kaduna Refinery in Kaduna State.
47) Completion of the Construction/Rehabilitation of Gbogan-Iwo road in Oyo State.
48) Completion of the Rehabilitation of Owerri-Aba Road in Imo and Abia States.
49) Completion of the Rehabilitation of Katsina-Daura road in Katsina State.
50) Completion of the Rehabilitation of Ijebu Igbo-Ajegunle- Araromi-Ife-Sekona Road (Section II), in Ogun State.
51) Emergency reinstatement of collapsed section of Gombe-Potiskum Road, (at Km 12) in Gombe State.
52) Rehabilitation of road Spur from Onitsha-Owerri road to Okija-Ihembosi-Afor Ukpor-Ebenator-Ezenifite in Anambra State.
53) Construction of 15km Interstate road from Aiyegunle-Akoko Edo in Ondo and Edo States.
54) Completion of the Rehabilitation of access roads to Warri Refinery in Delta State.
55) Completion of the Dualization of Access Road to Onne Port in Rivers State.
56) Construction of Gombe-Bypass in Gombe State.
57) Rehabilitation of Odo Oba-Takie-Gambari-Otte-Oyo State border along Ibadan-Oyo Ogbomosho-Ilorin road in Oyo State.
58) Emergency Reinstatement of collapsed section of Wukari-Mutum Biyu road in Taraba State.
59) Reinstatement of Washouts at km6+750, km30+400 and km35+325 along Onitsha-Enugu dual carriageway in Anambra and Enugu States.
60) Emergency reinstatement of Washout/Gully erosion at KM127+000 at Auchi along Okene-Benin road and Km14+000 along Auchi-Agenebode road in Edo State.
61) Construction of Langtang-Lalin-Tunkus-Shendam Road in Plateau State.
62) Rehabilitation of old Oyo-Ogbomoso road in Oyo State.
63) Rehabilitation of Omuo-Ifaki road in Ekiti State.
64) Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of Lafenwa Bridge in Abeokuta in Ogun State.
65) Rehabilitation of Gombe-Numan-Yola road section II: Numan- Gombe in Adamawa and Gombe States.
66) Rehabilitation of Otta-Owode road in Ogun State.
67) Rehabilitation of Mararaba-Pambeguwa-Saminaka-Jos road section I (Mararaba-Panbeguwa) in Kaduna State.
68) Rehabilitation of Anka-Daki Takwas-Gummi road in Zamfara State. Reconstruction and Pavement Streng

Pls send me the materials too. strollwithphallik@yahoo.com

Strollwithphallik@yahoo.com

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/ahmed-and-the-bane-of-stereotypes/By now, the story of Ahmed Mohammed, the teenage ninth grader, who was arrested and interrogated on suspicion of bringing a “hoax bomb” to school is stale gist that has blown over as many of us would say. However, Ahmed’s ordeal in the hands of his teachers and police officers in Irving, Texas, USA, has once again brought the bigger problem of stereotypes and its effect on individuals, groups of people, and the society in general to the fore. Many times, people are stereotyped because of their race, religion, ethnicity, sex, skin colour, nationality or anything else the human mind can conjure up. The reality is that virtually all of us are guilty of prejudice against another person or group of people because we have a preconceived notion about who we think they are or how we feel they should be.
religion is only one of the very few lucky ones whose embarrassing situation unwittingly thrust them in the limelight, having assumed celebrity status since the events of September 14. Thousands of people who face prejudice around the world daily are not so lucky. Having read different accounts of what happened at the MacArthur High School that day, I will not be so quick to vilify the teacher or principal who called in the police like many have done. I am tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt considering the history of terrorist attacks in the USA. Nevertheless, they cannot be totally absolved of blame in the matter either, as no move was made to evacuate students out of the school building as one would have expected them to do if they truly believed that the safety and security of everyone had been compromised. Which is what makes it easy for a good number of people to believe Ahmed was only treated the way he was because he is a Muslim. Particularly with the history of islamophobia and racial profiling in the Irving Texas community. Bottom line is – the Sudanese-American boy appears to have been stereotyped because of his race and religion.

Bringing it closer to home, how many times have we tagged a man the derogatory name “Boko Haram” without even saying a word to him first simply because he is evidently from northern Nigeria? When we hear that there has been a ritual killing somewhere, what tribe do we subconsciously point accusing fingers at? Why is there a widespread belief that Ijebu people are stingy? Why is the Igbo tribe believed to be synonymous with money? Every light-skinned girl must be bleaching their skin, Yoruba men always cheat in relationships, every lady from Edo State must be a prostitute or must have been one at some point in their life. Short people always seek to be noticed, Muslims are almost always violent and all pastors are thieves who rob their congregation blind every week are all stereotypes that are common in this part of the world. This further affirms that stereotyping people is not peculiar to a particular region or race, rather it is something almost everybody does!

The problem with stereotypes is that it puts a label on people. Stereotypes limit a person’s personality. Even in less serious matters! How many times have we thought a guy was weird because he doesn’t watch football? (I admit that I am guilty of this too). Personally, I know a couple of people (ladies especially) who find my love for football and a few of other “manly” sports a little strange. Oh! If she’s young, unmarried and successful, then she must be warming the bed of some “Oga at the top!” If he is young and successful even though he wasn’t born with a silver spoon, then he must have peddled drugs or engaged in advanced fee fraud at one time or the other.

Stereotypes limit people in countless ways. Even the seemingly good stereotypes are harmful. For instance; the fact that a person comes from a long line of ancestors who have always been successful lawyers almost always translates to the expectation that they must pursue law as a profession. It doesn’t matter if they have absolutely no interest in that career path and would rather be a painter. Countries like Kenya and Ethiopia are renowned for their long standing success in middle and long distance races, and so we discourage our Nigerian athletes who have the potential to give their East African counterparts a run for their money in the track event, simply because somewhere in our subconscious, we have conceded that the dominance of these two countries when it comes to long distance races will never end! A classic case of allowing a stereotype (albeit a seemingly reasonable one) to halt one’s progress.

The American Civil Liberties Union believe that Arabs, Muslims and South Asians have been targeted for minor immigrant violations since the unfortunate September 11 attacks on the USA, thereby resulting in prejudice against people from this regions of the world…one of the reasons why many were quick to believe that Ahmed Mohammed’s case was beyond a security scare, but rather a case of a knee jerk reaction and low tolerance for the slightest semblance of wrong doing by a Sudanese immigrant.

Suffice to say that if things continue this way, it will only be a matter of time before the centre can no longer hold and a major crisis erupts.

Stereotypes do no one any good. It is always safer and better to get to know people one-on-one before forming an opinion about them regardless of what