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Government Confirms Strategy To Address Brain Drain: Retired Medical Practitioners To Be Re-Engaged
Government Confirms Strategy To Address Brain Drain: Retired Medical Practitioners To Be Re-Engaged....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, has revealed that the Federal Government is taking steps to address the shortage of healthcare professionals by re-engaging retired medical providers in non-administrative roles on a contractual basis. This announcement was made during his visit to the National Hospital Abuja.
The decision aims to tackle the human resource gap in the health sector, driven by factors such as the ‘brain drain’ of clinical personnel. According to Prof. Pate, a recent circular has been issued to enable medical providers in clinical positions to be re-engaged under the same terms as before, with the goal of retaining experienced professionals and alleviating the burden on the existing healthcare workforce.
Prof. Pate emphasized the importance of human resources in the health sector, stating that healthcare workers across Nigeria are working diligently under often challenging conditions to provide essential services. The government’s focus is on supporting and improving their working conditions to reduce stress levels.
He added that the replacement of healthcare workers who leave for various reasons, such as going abroad or changing facilities, will be expedited. This initiative is aimed at ensuring that clinical providers are promptly replaced with qualified professionals to prevent further strain on the healthcare system.
While acknowledging the challenges of replacing healthcare personnel, Prof. Pate explained that some institutions have misused opportunities for replacement by hiring non-health professionals due to various pressures. The government is actively working to address this issue.
A circular dated August 30 from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has been issued, which allows clinical health workers who have reached the compulsory retirement age or years of service to be offered contract appointments on the same Salary Grade Level they retired on, if desired and deserved. This move is intended to retain experienced healthcare professionals and mitigate the ongoing healthcare workforce challenges.
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has approved the immediate dissolution of state boards, commissions, and parastatals, alongside terminating the appointments of several political aides.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to an official statement released on Sunday by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Yinka Oyebode, the termination affects all Special Assistants (SAs), Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), and Technical Assistants (TAs).
The statement clarified that the move is part of a gradual transition as the administration winds down its first term ahead of Governor Oyebanji’s second-term inauguration on October 16, 2026.
Key Exemptions
The governor outlined specific offices, governing bodies, and officials exempted from the directive:
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Statutory Commissions: Members and chairmen of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), Civil Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, and House of Assembly Service Commission remain in office.
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Tertiary Institutions: The governing councils of all state-owned higher institutions are unaffected.
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Selected Agency Leadership: The chairmen of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Teaching Service Commission, and Local Government Service Commission retain their positions, though their board members have been relieved of duty.
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Senior Executive Aides: Directors-General and Technical Advisors to the Governor remain in their respective roles.
Governor Oyebanji commended the outgoing appointees for their dedication, hard work, and valuable contributions toward the progress of Ekiti State during his first tenure.
Former Governor of Cross River State and 2027 Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has stated that petrol in Nigeria can sell between ₦200 and ₦300 per litre without government subsidies if fuel prices are pegged to local production costs rather than international market rates.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, Duke explained that true subsidy occurs when a product is bought at a high price and sold to consumers below cost. He argued that since crude oil is Nigeria’s collective resource, domestic fuel pricing should reflect what it costs to extract, refine, and distribute the oil locally.
Key Highlights of Donald Duke’s Strategy:
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Production Cost vs. Market Price: Duke noted that while crude oil sells internationally for $70 to $80 per barrel, Nigeria’s local production cost does not exceed $40 per barrel. Out of the ~1.7 million barrels produced daily, Nigeria requires only about 300,000 barrels for local consumption.
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Byproduct Amortization: A single barrel yields seven refined products. Duke proposed that five of those byproducts (such as aviation fuel and kerosene) be sold at commercial international rates, using those revenues to offset the refining costs of petrol and diesel.
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Domestic Pricing Formula: He advocated supplying petrol and diesel to Nigerians at actual production cost plus a modest 5% to 10% margin to cover distribution.
Under this model, Duke asserted, the federal government could completely eliminate subsidy payments while dramatically reducing pump prices for citizens.
Dr. Echuseh Audu, Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), is facing renewed scrutiny following financial disclosures linking her and a related business, Katuka’s Kitchen, to transfers totaling ₦49.44 million.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The developments follow earlier, unproven social media allegations that SEMA diverted over 10,000 bags of rice and 1,000 cartons of groundnut oil intended for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Dr. Audu has strongly denied the diversion claims and voluntarily presented herself to security agencies—including the Police, DSS, NSCDC, and the Ministry of Justice—demanding a full investigation.
Key Financial Inflows & Controversial LPRES Transfer
Financial records obtained by SaharaReporters detail multiple transfers across accounts associated with Audu and Katuka’s Kitchen:
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World Bank Project Transfer: On October 28, 2025, the Taraba State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) Draw Down Account transferred ₦12,190,726.80 to Katuka’s Kitchen. The same amount was later returned to the LPRES account. Insiders questioned the propriety of a government project conducting business with a public official’s associated entity, though records do not specify if the transaction was a contract payment, reimbursement, or error.
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Inflows Breakdown (Totaling ₦49.44 Million):
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₦15M: Transferred from an account under Audu Echuseh Echuseh at UBA (May 10, 2024).
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₦7M: Transferred from Katuka’s Kitchen’s Fidelity Bank account (August 16, 2024).
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₦5.25M: Received from Sunday Stephen via Globus Bank (January 30, 2026).
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₦5M: Received from Callistus Obiejezie (February 25, 2026).
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₦5M: Transferred from a UBA account under Audu Echuseh (Date unspecified).
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₦44 Million Hospital Payments
The records also highlight three transactions totaling ₦44 million paid to GTBank accounts belonging to Nizamiye Hospital in Abuja (₦15M on Feb 20, 2026; ₦14M on Feb 26, 2026; and an undated ₦15M payment). Sources close to Audu clarified that these funds were utilized to cover medical expenses for a young girl who subsequently passed away.
Questions Over Business Ownership & Corporate Filings
While sources close to the SEMA Chief claim she formally resigned her role with Katuka’s Kitchen at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), reports indicate her Bank Verification Number (BVN) remains tied to the business’s active accounts across Access Bank, Globus Bank, and Fidelity Bank.
SEMA Maintains Stance on Integrity
TSEMA reiterated its commitment to transparency, noting that over 50,000 emergency victims have benefited from state relief distribution. Dr. Audu had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
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