ONDO TRAUMA CENTRE; MIMIKO'S SOOTHING BALM FOR ACCIDENT VICTIMS

If there are some people out there still thinking that Mimiko's appellation of 'a caring heart governor' is only a political jingle or an undeserved embellishment designed to buoy up the Governor's popularity, a visit to the ultra-modern, international standard Ondo State Accident Trauma Centre at the medical village in Ondo city will convince them that indeed, there might not be any other governor deserving of such appellation than Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

Last week, I went on a voyage of discovery to the sprawling medical facility located at Laje road in Ondo city and upon entering, it took me minutes to convince myself that am in the vicinity of a Nigerian medical centre.

Having earlier on visited the monumental Mother and Child hospital which was the first of the departments that constitute the Medical village, the majesty of the clinically asphalted landscape of the entire vicinity from the M&C end down to the exquisite and fabulous Doctors's quarters was not to appear strange to me, but nevertheless it still got me excited especially by its introduction to the younger company I had for the trip.

Oluwasanmi Lawal, a post graduate student at FUTA and an ardent believer in Dr. Mimiko's progressive and populist driven developmental government, was unexpectedly but to my excitement, more astonished than I had expected.

He had this to say on his Facebook page:

"I recall my visit today to that wonderland christened medical village in loving company of the amiable Barrister Remigius with astonishing nostalgia. My decision to join him to see things for myself was driven by a compelling testimony so shared by a trader whose son had a close shave with death only to be resuscitated back to life in the trauma centre component of the hospital. To try to describe what I saw there today in words and pictures is to speak like a child filled with thoughts but lacking in jaw-jaw expression. I'm still lost for words... I really am. Call it massive| Breathtaking| Whao...| Headshaking| mind blowing and what have you. With Olusegun Mimiko in the frontline of leading the people, I can dare to smile for AFRICA."

We were taken round the Trauma Centre by a senior staff of the centre who was obviously excited to have us around. He is a Consultant Orthopedic surgeon who told us he has had great experience in medical practice having worked in Abuja and Lagos before joining the Centre's medical team, and by reason of this he was in good position to confirm to us that most of the facilities in the centre are hard to come by in this country.

Resuscitation and Triage Ward

Our first point of call was the Resuscitation and Triage Ward. It is a first aid-ward where
accident victims on the throes of death are revived with the most modern of medical equipment. 

There we met a pathetically injured five-year-old boy just brought in from Ogun state after an accident along Ijebu-ode - Lagos road.

He was placed under the mechanical ventilating machine (MVM) which ensures his steady breathing . To the left of his bed side, we saw the Defibrillator which is an electric shock machine that prevents shocks to the chest or heart and controls critically irregular heartbeat for effective blood circulation.

We spoke to the relatively relieved parents who told us they thought they had lost him, until they got to the Trauma centre which they claimed they never heard of. Their words for the Governor were all about praises and prayers.

Attached to the MVM are medical monitors that assure that nothing goes amiss and that recovery is progressing.

We also saw at the Resuscitation & Triage ward the ultra-modern suctioning machine that clears the airways to avoid any secretion so that the patient will aspirate.

Intensive Care Ward

Once patients have been successfully resuscitated and stabilized, they will be taken to the Intensive Care Ward for continuous care. The ward is a jumbo size ward that is excellently furnished with equipment and fittings of what a world class hospital ought to look like.

Laboratory

Next, we moved to the Laboratory which is well equipped with the new and up-to-date laboratory and medical storage facilities including the expensive lab cold blood bank.

Inside the blood bank were about 200 iced blood bags which the scientist in charge told us are always readily available for all blood groups unlike what obtains in most medical laboratories in the country. It is a laboratory of 21st century chemical analysis which has such facilities as automated chemical, electrolyte and hematological analyzers.

There was also a cold centrifuge for separation of blood sugar and the electronic microscope among others.

There, you get the results of laboratory tests as quickly as possible.

Main Wards

At the main wards were we met many patients undergoing treatment from varying degrees of injuries sustained from accidents, we discovered that all beds are electronically controlled. 

Yet these are apart from the special water beds which we were informed are meant to prevent what is termed 'bed soar' especially for those suffering from burns.

"When you are nursing a patient," our guide said, "they can't just be allowed to stay in one position for a long time. The electronic bed helps to adjust and orientate his or her position from time to time, while the water bed basically helps to redistribute pressure and reduce the incident of pressure suck in patients"

Vast majority of the patients were referred from outside the state including teaching hospitals. One was even among the surviving victims of the recent Abuja bomb blast.

Modern pharmacy unit
One other thing that amazed us is the fact that all required drugs is readily available such that patients do not need to go outside the centre in search of drugs. The modern pharmacy unit is well organized and stocked up with quality, requisite and affordable drugs.

Some of the other unique facilities that we noticed are the CT scan machines at the X-Ray unit, and at the Burns unit where we saw burn bath tubes where patients with burns from kerosene or petrol explosion are cleaned up with less pains.

Also, brand new ambulances provided for the centre by the state government are always on standby, 

raring to go.

There was also the electronic physiotherapic chair with arms and body rests of different shapes which help to free stiff joints.

The gigantic robotic X-ray machine ,we were informed, is the best in the country.

Despite being one among six parts of the medical village, the Trauma centre alone has a staff strength of about 300. Which means, apart from providing healing for the wounded, the centre also exist as a formidable employment-providing institution.

Like the Mother & Child hospital, one other heartwarming feature of the Trauma centre is its cleanliness and aesthetically endowed environment. 

We left the Trauma centre with heartwarming feelings that this country, Nigeria despite the shortcomings and seemingly care-free attitude of most of its leaders, still has men in the ruling class who care so much for the sick, the hopeless and the helpless without compromising quality, class and cleanliness.

Welcome to the world of His Excellency, Dr. Olusegun Abayomi Mimiko, it's a world of 'beauty all around'. Beauty of the inner mind, exhibited by beauty of his gracious outputs .

Compiled by Michael Emiabata

Is Governor Ambode really Prudent in his management of Lagos State resources?.

Recently, Governor Ambode of Lagos State was boasting of saving N3bn monthly from the running costs of governance. I believe he could have done a lot better, but there are a lot of wastages and leakages in the system.

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday, December 31, passed into law the N662.588bn Year 2016 Appropriation Bill presented by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday, December 17, 2015.  A breakdown of the budget revealed that N278,909bn will be spent on recurrent expenditure while N383,678bn on capital expenditure with its internal Generated Revenue , IGR pegged at N542,873 Billion of which N119.714 Billion would be funded through deficit financing constituting 0.41 percent of the State GDP.

Lagos State gets most of its income through IGR. Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is the revenue that state governments generate within the areas of their jurisdiction. The various sources of internal revenue available to state governments include taxes, fines , licenses and fees, earnings & sales, rent on government property, interests and dividends, among others. The capacity of a state government to generate revenue internally is a crucial consideration for the creation of a state government.

The expected IGR of Lagos State this year is N542,873bn which is contracted out to be collected by a firm called the Alpha Beta Consulting. The firm is owned by Senator Bola Hamed Tinubu, the political God Father of the State Governor. The expected commission for this Tax collector Service this year is about N75bn. This is a colossal amount to be paid to a Private individual’s firm when there is massive poverty in our land. The commission is more than the budget of some states in Nigeria.

If Governor Ambode led administration really want to be prudent in his management, he  should  consider taking the Tax collection services in-house to save money and this will subsequently reduce  the State recurrent  expenditure.

Also, due to the high unemployment rate in the State, it would be better to increase the LIRS budget to create middle-class public-sector jobs in professional tax collection than throw money at low-paying private-sector contractors who cannot do the job as well.

Alpha Beta has been collecting IGR for Lagos State since 1999, if the state has put in place a permanent alternative structure since then it would have matured and the state would have been saving money. No one knows the contractual agreement between the Lagos State Government and the alpha Beta Consulting.

There have been reports of heavy handedness of the tax consultants when they resort to use abusive tactics. With this type of feedback, the State has failed to serve the public interest.

I can say in very clear terms that private tax collection does not save or generate any money.  It costs a lot of money and risks the privacy of taxpayer information. Taxes don’t have to be taxing.

By  Michael  Emiabata

Devastation At Egypt Jet Crash Site As 224 Killed

Moscow has played down an Islamic State-linked group's reported claim that it downed a Russian passenger jet in Egypt's Sinai peninsula.

The Airbus A321 crashed into mountains shortly after losing radar contact near cruising altitude, with all 224 passengers and crew thought to have been killed.

A statement attributed to the Wilayat Sinai (Sinai Province) group said: "The fighters of the Islamic State were able to down a Russian plane over Sinai province that was carrying over 220 Russian crusaders. They were all killed, thanks be to God."

The statement was circulated on Twitter and also posted on the Aamaq website, which acts as a semi-official news agency for IS.

However, security sources in Egypt said an initial examination suggests the plane suffered a technical fault.
Russia's transport minister also urged caution, telling the Interfax news agency the claims "can't be considered accurate".

It is unclear whether militants in the region would have the capability to attack the plane, which was flying at around 31,000ft.

© Provided by Sky News
The Airbus A321, operated by Russian airline Metrojet, took off from Sharm el-Sheikh shortly before 6am local time, bound for St Petersburg.

It disappeared from radar some 23 minutes into the flight. Data shows it was plunging 6000ft per minute before it lost contact.

The plane was found in the Hassana region, 22 miles (35km) south of Arish.
There were 214 Russians on board, three Ukrainians and seven crew members. Authorities say no one survived - despite earlier reports that voices had been heard from the wreckage.
At least 150 bodies, many of whom were still strapped to their seats, have been recovered so far, including five children.

German airline Lufthansa and Air France have halted flights over the Sinai peninsula until further notice.
There are "a lot of dead on the ground and many who died whilst strapped to their seats," an Egyptian official told news agency Reuters.

He said the plane was split into two parts, "a small part on the tail end that burned and a larger part that crashed into a rock".

Rescuers have found the black box, which could give vital clues about what happened.
In a statement, Metrojet named the pilot as Valery Nemov and said he had 12,000 hours' flying experience, including 3,860 hours in the A321.
It also said the aircraft had received factory maintenance in 2014.

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 Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a national day of mourning on Sunday and the country's top investigative body, the Investigative Committee, is looking into the incidenAirbus said the plane was produced in 1997 and had accumulated some 56,000 flight hours in nearly 21,000 flights.

According to Egyptian media, the pilot reported a technical failure shortly after take off and requested to land at a nearby airport, Sky's Middle East correspondent Sherine Tadros said.
But Mike Vivian, former head of flight operations at the Civil Aviation Authority, told Sky News "hostile action" should not be ruled out.

"I am absolutely certain that will be one of the focuses of investigators on the ground," he said.
Egypt's North Sinai is home to a two-year-old Islamist insurgency and militants linked to IS have killed hundreds of soldiers and also attacked Western targets in recent months.

Several hundred relatives gathered at Pulkovo airport near St Petersburg after the crash, but many have now been taken to a nearby hotel.
© STRINGER/Newscom/ReutersSky's Moscow correspondent John Sparks says authorities have so far given relatives very little information.
One woman at the airport, Yulia Zaitseva, said her friends, a newlywed couple, were on the flight.
"We were friends for 20 years, " said Ms Zaitseva. "She was a very good friend who was ready to give everything to other people. To lose such a friend is like having your hand cut off."

CELEBRATING DIVIDENDS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE IN KOGI STATE

Governor  Idris Wada

To be a leader does not only entail assuming a position of authority and power. It is about having the capacity to translate vision into reality.

The Man
His Excellency, Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada is one of such rare visionary leaders of our time. Capt. Wada was sworn in as the Governor of Kogi State on January 27th, 2012. On assumption of office, Capt. Wada came with a clear vision of “leading by example, by subjecting ourselves to the highest ideals of good governance, which are hard work, integrity, discipline, transparency and accountability as our watch word”.
His vast experience as a widely travelled international pilot and exposure to public administration enabled him to understand that continuity in governance ensures sustainable development and discourages dubious inflation in government procurement and contracts. Governor Wada, like other development-conscious world leaders, adopted the continuity principle as the focal point of his administration in the last three years.

The Vision
This is the vision statement that clearly defined the direction and has remained the guiding principle of the administration. So far, the Governor has left no one in doubt that he is truly a leader driven by the passion to serve his people. Well known for his prudence in resource management and knack for fiscal discipline, he wasted no time in plugging revenue leakages and curtailing financial recklessness despite financial constraints in the state.

Determined to rewrite the history of Kogi State, Governor Idris Wada adopted four cardinal development priorities as a platform for achieving good governance.
These priorities were geared towards improving Education, Agriculture, Health and Social Infrastructure and human capital development.

The Governor set out by raising a think-thank comprising illustrious sons and daughters of the state to prepare a development blueprint, which served as the road map for development by the government.

A Legacy of Good Governance
Undaunted by the several months of election-related litigation, the 2012 flood and insecurity challenges the administration faced, Governor Wada has left no stone unturned in his effort to bequeath Kogi State with a legacy of good governance. An appraisal of Wada's administration till date shows that there are sufficient signals to suggest that the administration has made progress in laying the foundation for a new Kogi State. Kogi has been made a bride for investors, while it has also witnessed an unprecedented improvement in infrastructural development.
The State like never before, according to observers, is on a threshold of a new beginning. Putting behind it the past of under development and putting on the new garb of a fast growing economy through a massive turnaround in social infrastructures.

Investment in Agriculture and Industry

Indeed, Kogi has in a short time undergone an agricultural and industrial transformation, made possible by the influx of foreign investors to stimulate the state's economy as a result of which Kogi now plays the role of a catalyst, culminating in the signing of about 20 Memoranda of Understanding which have led to investments running into several billions of naira.

The attraction of foreign partners into the state's economy is anchored on the political will of Capt. Wada and the creation of an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state.  Kogi State government has attracted investment benefit of $700 million from a US-based investment group, Anointed Holdings.

Towards ensuring the development of the state's agriculture and industrial sector, the Wada led administration, has entered into agreement with willing investors, to form Joint Ventures and later as Build, Operate and Transfer with an enabling legislation to allow for Public Private Partnership already in existence.

                                               

                                      Kogi Trains 4,000 Women, Youths on Cassava Processing

 
With the future of the nation depending on agricultural production, the state’s massive investment in agriculture especially in Sugar through the establishment of a 50 hectares cane sugar seed nursery, is believed to be geared towards enabling the planting of 1000 hectare of sugar cane in about a year, an investment anchored by BUA Sugar, Dangote Sugar and UniCem Sugar companies. The trio, planning to set up sugar plantation and refining facilities in the state, it is hoped, would help form the bulwark for the realization of the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP).

The administration has placed the State as number one in Cassava and Rice production. It has through agriculture created 4,500 jobs for youths and over 3,500 fishermen/fish farmers in the State. Already, through collaboration, a rice and cassava staple crop processing zone has been established in the State.

Infrastructural Development

The MoU with Favic Constructions Company for a transport terminal seeks to exploit the immense location of economic advantage of Kogi State as a transportation hub. On the average, vehicles from 22 States pass through the Capital daily.

The bus terminal will have enough space to accommodate 40 Luxury Buses, 200 Interstate Buses, over 100 taxis and will have 60 Lock up Shops, Offices, Clinic, Police Station, Maintenance Workshop, ample parking spaces for the public, landscaping and restaurants.

The facility will also have an International hotel, a Bank, Open Court Restaurants, and Restrooms.
Towards providing mass housing scheme, the state entered into a partnership with Light House Financial Services Limited to build 1500 houses of various categories for it citizens. The scheme would be located majorly in Lokoja while other towns would benefit in phases.

Realizing the importance of power in driving socio-economic development in any society, the state government signed an MoU with Good Earth Power Nig. Ltd and Astra Coal Nig. Ltd. The companies aside investing in housing, agriculture, infrastructure and power plants, would utilize the abundant coal deposits in the State to generate the much needed electricity for the Country.

The importance of the provision of good road network in the socio- economic development of any society cannot be over emphasized. It is in line with this policy that the present
administration since inception has given road construction and
rehabilitation in both urban and rural areas the deserved attention.
Each of the three senatorial zones of the state have benefited from the integrated road projects of the Wada administration.
Almost all township roads in the 21 LGAs are undergoing reconstruction with 1500km of township and rural roads involved. Presently, the major arterial road that passes through Lokoja, the State Capital is being dualized. Similarly, the construction of Otokiti-Ganaja Road Bye-pass is on-going and has opened up a new town in Lokoja.

Education

His Excellency's impact is not only in infrastructural development but also in the fields of education sector which is considered the cornerstone of sustainable and balanced development.

The Wada administration has not only renovated primary and secondary school buildings but has consistently paid WAEC Examination fees for final year students across the state, ensured the accreditation of courses at the State Polytechnic, State University and all its Colleges of Education and School of Nursing and Midwifery, Obangede.

The administration has built hostels in tertiary institutions in the state, with the state not only giving Kogi State University over N500 Million funding support in the last two years but has built male and female hostels in the school.

The government has also resolved all outstanding labour issues affecting the university. Furthermore, three new ultra modern hostel blocks have been built at the main campus of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.
Capt Wada while commissioning the hostel blocks reassured that the State government will continue to provide a conducive atmosphere for learning for the students in all state-owned institutions, saying that it is only in a conducive environment that can produce good leadership Tomorrow .

Transportation

The Wada administration has also stamped its feet in the transport sector.
It has been established worldwide that transportation is the conveyor belt of any nation’s economy and the driving force of social interactions. Nigerians and in particular, the citizens of Kogi State no doubt depend on transportation to reach or meet their needs for daily existence.
The transportation system also serves as an adjunct of the culture and tourism development. It is in view of its importance of transportation that Kogi State Government evolved policies to regulate the sector and where necessary intervene to ease the movement of the people .
The recent intervention of the administration of Capt Idris Wada aimed at solving the hardship of commuters, necessitated Government’s purchase of twelve units of 32– seater buses, with each having a standing provision for 20 passengers as another landmark of the administration.
It would be recalled that the collapse of the Kogi State Transport Company, until the coming of Capt. Idris Wada, caused a lot of hardship on the socio - economic life of the people.

Tourism and Information

Other sectors like information and tourism have also received the adequate attention.
In the area of tourism, there is an on-going remodeling and reconstruction of Kogi Hotels, erection of tourist gate on Mount Patti, renovation and rebuilding of Lugard's residence on Mount Patti in Lokoja as well as the hosting of the yearly Confluence Carnival. Due attention has also been given to the sports and information sector.

Plans are already in place to complete the establishment of the state owned TV station. All booster stations of the Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation in Otite, Egbe and Ochaja have been resuscitated and are now fully operational while head office of Confluence Radio has been renovated.

Apart from constructing the administrative building of the state printing press, the government has also procured new machines for the printing press.

Health, Water and Sanitation

The present administration has undertaken the construction and resuscitation of over 32 water schemes in different parts of the State as well as drilling of 82 motorized and solar powered bore holes.

The administration has also embarked on the recruitment and training of Engineers, Technicians and Hydrologists to understudy the expatriate Engineers currently managing the Greater Lokoja Water Project.

In its determination to positively affect and transform the rural areas, Capt Idris Wada’s administration has spent over 1 billion Naira in providing motorized boreholes, construction of Primary Health Clinic, classrooms, purchase of Ambulances and water projects as well as feeder roads across the 21 Local Government Areas.

With so much investment in the health sector, the administration has provided and upgraded new and existing healthcare facilities across the State.

By
Michael Emiabata