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- To absolve 60 into civil service to address shortage of manpower
From John Adams Minna
Worried by the shortage of medical Doctors in it hospitals across the state, the Niger State Government has signed an engagement bond with no fewer than 60 Students Doctors of the state origins with a view to absolving them into the state civil service.
The 60 Students Doctors are to complement the overstretched existing medical Doctors across the state owned hospitals after the completion of their studies.
Speaking at the official signing of engagement bond into the civil service between Niger State government and Medical students at the clinical stage in various health tertiary instructions across the country at the Justice Legbo Kutigi international conference center in Minna on Monday, the state governor Rt Hon Umar Mohammed Bago said the need to engage the student Doctors had become necessary following the shortage of manpower in the area of medical Doctors in the state.
The students Doctors who will be absolved into the civil service, will enjoy full salary of a medical Doctor under grade level 10 until their graduation and will serve the state government after the completion of their studies.
The governor who was represented at the bond signing ceremony by his Deputy Governor, Comrade Adamu Garba said that this initiative will surely bridge the existing gaps in health sector in terms of medical Doctors.
“We are here to witness the official signing of engagement bonding of placing sixty (60) Indigenous Medical Students of Niger State into the Civil Service on GRADE LEVEL 10 as part of the Niger State Government’s effort at supporting their studies on the one hand and providing them the opportunity to join the Civil Service before completing their Medical course.
“I have been informed that these Medical students in their clinical years have exhibited a plausible willingness to embrace this offer”, he said
The governor further disclosed that the state Government has also made arrangements with Universities in India to train Medical Doctors, Engineering and ICT students to address shortage in these areas.
In addition to this, he stated further that the State government has commenced training of Medical students at IBB University Lapai and the conversion of Shiroro Hotel to a Teaching Hospital which work has reached an advanced stage, pointing out that “this will also provide opportunities for postgraduate training”.
According to him, this is coming barely two months after the state government employed 1,000 health workers into the state civil service to address shortage of health personnel in hospitals and primary healthcare centers across the state.
The governor use the opportunity to thank and salute the people of the State for having undiluted confidence, solid trust, and renewed hope in the administration “as we just celebrated our first anniversary in office.
“We believe in transparency and accountability in our expenditures. We cannot thank you enough but we shall reciprocate by doing more consistently”, he added
Recalled that in 2022, well over 200 medical Doctors left the services of the state government for greeners pasture, leaving a huge gaps with one medical Doctor attending to over 100 patients in some cases.
Earlier, the Head of Service of the state, Alhaji Abubakar Salihu disclosed that the governor had approved the engagement of the 60 student Doctors in October last but was delayed to ensure proper screening of those to be engaged.
He pointed out that the target of the government is to engage no fewer than 120 Doctors into the state civil service before the end of this year in other to address the gaps created following the exist of over 200 Doctors from the civil service two years ago.
Alhaji Abubakar maintained that the aim of the government is to support the education of these student Doctors in their education and give the them the opportunity to join the civil service after graduation.
