With almost one year of the Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration, Nurses in the state’s public service have began to reap the fruits of his electioneering promise to better their condition, and make them have a sense of belonging in government.
This was disclosed by the Delta State Chairman, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Comrade Philomena Onokpuvie at the weekend.
Comrade Onokpuvie, who described Governor Oborevwori as “A man of his words and a promise keeper,” disclosed that, to prove this, the Governor, in less than one year in office has given appointment to retired Nurses, thus carying them along in his administration.
She named those who the Governor gave political appointments as Chief Larry Okompu, a retired Director of Nursing (FMC, Asaba), who was appointed a Board member, Hospitals Management Board (HMB); Mr Ivwighren Clifford, A retired Director of Nursing services, Ministry of Health, appointed Board member, Hospitals Management Board (HMB), and Hajia Florence Omoni Johnson, appointed Chairman, Institute of Continuing Education (ICE).
While disclosing that Nurses in Delta State, under her watch were happy and grateful to God for Governor Oborevwori’s election victory at the Supreme Court, the States NANNM Chairman said, as a Nurse-friendly Governor, he has graciously approved the building of lecture rooms in the three Schools of Nursing in the State and to employ Nurse Tutors.
But like Oliver Twist, she appealed to the Governor to visit the issue of high taxation on salaries of Nurses, with a view to giving them some relief in the face of the current high inflation in the country.
In addition, she appealed to the Governor to kindly address the vexed issue of shortage of Nurses in the State’s health sector.
She said the State government, through the HMB, is actually recruiting a handful of Nurses, but the number of Nurses retiring, travelling out and dying of exhaustion far outnumber the current employed few.
And in order to further encourage Nurses in the State’s public service to do more, she appealed to the Governor to pasionately consider the challenge of security in public hospitals, adding that, no Nurse can put in his or her best when the work environment is not secured.
