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NYSC@ 50: Over 3 million Nigerians benefited from NYSC’s Health Rural Dwellers initiative-DG
Joel Ajayi
The Director General of NYSC Brigadier General Ahmed has revealed that over 3million Nigerians has benefited from scheme’s health put in place some years ago.
He stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at flag-off of special medical outreaches under the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) organized as part of activities to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Scheme.
While speaking The NYSC DG expressed that, since its establishment five decades ago, the National Youth Service Corps has remained an enduring platform for the mobilization of human and material resources for the actualization of the Nigeria of our dream.
According to him, the Scheme has long been a catalyst of our socio-cultural, political and economic development.
“Like other developing countries, Nigeria faces challenges in its health sector, but concerted efforts are being made by various stakeholders, including the NYSC, with a view to making the system more functional.
“As a Scheme that has continued to expand its frontiers in the delivery of services to Nigerians, NYSC launched its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme in 2014. It is a platform through which Corps medical personnel comprising Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, and Dentists, amongst others, provide free and quality health care for the people, especially the rural poor.
“I am pleased to report that, so far, over three million Nigerians have benefitted from this initiative. The outreach being flagged-off today comes just five weeks after a similar one we conducted at the IDP Centre, Malaysia Garden, Abuja, where people came out in large numbers to receive free treatment for various medical conditions. We made other special interventions such as the administration of vaccines, sensitization of the community on HIV/AIDS prevention and sanitation, among others.
“It is gratifying to note that Her Excellency, the First Lady, has shown more than a passing interest in the success of the HIRD. We are still relishing her benevolence in donating this high-capacity ultra-modern mobile clinic that is deployed here today. I am pleased to report that the facility, which was handed over to the Scheme a year ago, has greatly enhanced the efficiency of our health interventions.”
He however, pledged that the scheme will not relent in sustaining the initiative to ensure more Nigerian especially rural dwellers benefited.
In her addressed the Chairman, NYSC National Governing Board Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar revealed that available records have shown that the programme, which is carried out every quarter of the year in all the States of the Federation and the FCT, has brought succour to over four million beneficiaries, who could not have afforded medical bills.
“This special edition of the HIRD is organized in further demonstration of the commitment of the Scheme to putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians, and a reflection of its relevance in the trajectory of nation building.”
She However commended the NYSC Management, the supervising officials and the Corps medical personnel for sustaining this laudable initiative.
Featured
How Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso Repositioning the Raw Materials Sector For Economic Diversification
By Joel Ajayi
As we embark on a journey, we always pray for an able, experienced, and courageous driver, pilot, or sailor depending on the means of transportation.
This is because the captain will have enough experience and boldness to navigate out of turbulence and to bring all the passengers and crew to the intended destination.
Interestingly, these fine qualities of ability, experience, boldness, and many more, abound in the man, Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, who we all are pleased was appointed the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, the Director General/CEO by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a few months ago.
This is because he has brought his knowledge, ability, experience, and doggedness to bear in carrying out his assignment in charge of the Council.
The RMRDC, operating under the Federal
The Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, is pivotal in driving Nigeria’s industrial growth by optimizing local raw materials exploitation, development, and utilization. RMRDC, ab initio, was conceived as a child of necessity when Nigeria was reeling from the throes of global recession and plummeting crude oil prices.
Without an iota of doubt, today, the council is experiencing a transformation with massive innovation in raw material exploitation, development, and utilization, supporting business and industrial growth, and contributing to Nigeria’s economic prosperity.
Speaking this during a press briefing on Tuesday, in Abuja to commemorate his 100 days in office said the council is laying a solid foundation through numerous innovations that will further enhance growth in the country.
According to him, in the past 100 days, my strategic pursuits have been to lay solid foundations for enduring success in these goals.
“Upon assuming this position, I set five crucial deliverables which include, refocusing the Council as a premier research institution; Strengthening the Council’s productivity and operational efficiency; Significantly improving the staff welfare to be the best in the class of similar organizations;
“Others include, Boosting the Council’s visibility and instituting remarkable culture change that encourages ownership and productivity as well as Strengthening and deepening the Council’s place in the international arena.”
While speaking on his Achievements so far, the DG revealed: “My first task, therefore, was to implement a strategic goal-setting for the Council’s staff to define and set out clear objectives and targets to be achieved by the Council within a specified period towards refocusing on this historical mandate. We unleashed five significant initiatives in that regard.
“The nationwide raw material data collection exercise that focused on technical and investment information. erships to drive our mission forward.
“The restructuring and renaming of the former Technology Innovation Complex (TIC) at the Obasanjo Space Center at Airport Road, Abuja, to a Research and Demonstration Plants Complex (RDPC). This complex will be Africa’s first center of excellence in raw material research, featuring state-of-the-art laboratories, technology development workshops, and proof of concept demonstrations.
“We have reactivated the Council’s Journal and repositioned it internationally. The repositioned Journal of Raw Material Research [JORMAR] will host RMRDC’s researchers’ publications, which are crucial in promoting awareness, facilitating knowledge sharing, and informing stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges in Nigeria’s raw materials sector.
“The collaboration with universities and academies will strengthen our capacity for conducting market-guided research, ensuring sustained workforce training while deepening our orientation in science.
The council has reformulated a new template for all our research proposals to ensure and sustain a clear departure from the old culture of blue-sky and deliberately endless research.
Speaking further, Prof Nwanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso stated that Staff welfare remains a top priority as an issue of unpaid salaries is settled as well as set up a comprehensive welfare program.
“Similarly, we established the RMRDC Training School to sustainably build our staff and stakeholders’ capacity to further the staff welfare improvement goal.
“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance
“To further strengthen our visibility and communication strategies, we are upgrading our media infrastructure, which includes the launch of the RMRDC online media platform, The RMRDC TV Online.
“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance
“Additionally, we are working hard to effectively enhance the intellectual property and patent portfolio of RMRDC from its current 40 to approximately 200 new patents within the next 24 months. This proactive approach secures valuable IP assets and positions the Council as a leader in innovation within the raw materials sector, contributing to Nigeria’s overall economic growth.
“As well as launching an e-registration and certification portal to enhance transparency in the raw materials sector,” DG revealed.
He however reaffirmed his commitment to reshape the future of research, technology, and innovation, driving Nigeria towards an industrially vibrant and technologically resilient economy.
“As I mark 100 days in office, I boldly say that the Council is on the verge of rewriting its history.
“I believe that in no distant future, RMRDC will play a leading role in enhancing raw materials’ development to boost raw materials’ industrial trial processing and attain sustainable industrial growth in Nigeria.
DG, however, applauded the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, for his unwavering support and mentorship, saying the Minister’s leadership has been instrumental in the progress made so far.
In his opening remarks, the Directorate of Corporate Affairs, Mr Chucks Ngaha commended the hard-working DG who has weathered the storm further to put the Council on the ladder of more prosperity.
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