The Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Manassah Daniel Jatau, Ph.D, has commended the initiative of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency for rewarding excellent performance towards efficiency, and productivity.
The Deputy Governor’s position was contained in his address during the 2022 Annual Award Presentation at the International Hotel, Gombe.
The Deputy Governor admonished the recipients of the awards to see it as a motivation to do more towards bettering the cause of humanity.
Chronicling the effect of awards and sanctions and the commitment of Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration in advancing the healthcare needs of the people, the Deputy said, the Health sector is the first priority of this administration.
He said ” to God be the glory and gratitude for granting us the priviledge to witness yet another GSPHCDA annual award presentation ceremony of the best performing staff in the conduct of their duties.
However, in good time let me on behalf of His Excellency, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya the Governor of Gombe State convey his greetings, goodwill, and above all his appreciation for initiating this event in the Agency to encourage and challenge staff to dedicate themselves in their respective roles and responsibilities”.
“While it is a known fact that employment or recruitment grants new employees, delight, happiness and satisfaction, this does not last long. Soon after these employees begin to manifest different attitudes to the jobs assigned to them, colleagues employed earlier, the organization, and even the environment. Eventually these factors affect the perception performance and the conduct of their work. Therein lies the need for the Chief Executive Officer to start critical observation of these workers, appraising them for the effective performance of the organization so as to attain the goals for which it was established. This need is more pronounced in Combe State Civil Service particularly the Health sector which is the first priority area concern of this administration of His Excellency, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya”.
“Being the Chairman of State Taskforce on Immunization and Primary Health Care, I am fully aware of the determination and commitments of this government in prioritizing health in the population through the provision of an enabling environment that motivate team players in the health sector. Lovers of Gombe State may wish to recall the provision of required modern operational facilities, partnering donor agencies, couple with consistent and prompt payment of personnel entitlements as well as supporting personnel Capacity Building in various spheres of Health Care service delivery. Of course, posterity will remember His Excellency, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya led administration for actualizing the functional Primary Health Care per ward policy across the 114 wards of Gombe State. No doubt this development contributed positively in reducing maternal and child mortality rates in the state as well as easy access to other Primary Health Care services by residents of the hinterland communities of Gombe State”.
“Similarly, redesigning the architectural standard of Gombe State Specialist Hospital and 3 other General Hospitals in Funakaye, Kaltungo and the ongoing brand new General Hospital in Kumo town of Akko LGA is another testimony to this administration’s commitment in Health
services delivery. The School of Nursing under construction that would admit about 600 student nurses is another push in the Health sector. That this School of Nursing has been accredited to award B.Sc Nursing is a giant stride”.
“The great support, advice and directions of His Excellency the governor in the provision of the conducive environment for the health sector to thrive has been a great motivation. Subsequently, GSPHCDA today have covered 90% of the Covid-19 vaccination and stood among the league of best performing States in the country.
Also the Agency conducted four rounds of zero dose Routine Immunization Intensification across all the eleven LGAs with the assistance of Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization (GAVI) through UNICEF Similarly, the recent engagement of about 400 additional staff in the Health sector by the State Government in collaboration with GAVI is a move to address the dearth of staff observed in our Health facilities. For all these the govemment remains grateful to GAVI, UNICEF and other donor partners”.
“Much as I commend the Executive Secretary and staff of GSPHCDA for their performance, I wish to most sincerely appreciate our traditional, religious and community leaders and even some members of the public across the state for participating, encouraging and complementing the Agency in all the activities undertaken” he added.
In his address the Honourable Commissioner of Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru said the primary healthcare provides service that touch the lives of the people in every Community in the state.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Danladi Adamu, the Honourable Commissioner expressed delight over the award ceremony and called on other ministries and agencies to emulate the PHCDA.
Earlier in his address the Executive Secretary, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Abdulrahaman Shua’ibu explained that ” the award is aimed at rewarding excellence in primary healthcare service delivery in the state in order to motivate Health care providers across all cadres, and will provide us with an opportunity to engage ourselves for mutual reflections of all PHC activities conducted or presently ongoing across the state”.
He added” I am excited with the kind of support and confidence this award is receiving looking at the dignitaries and Health care workers that have graced this occasion. Your presence and active participation have continued to be a source of encouragement to us”.
” Today’s award recipients have distinguished themselves with the highest qualities and best practices in health care delivery across the state”.
The Executive Secretary appreciated the Governor, his Deputy, Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Health, Community and religious leaders, Development Partners and all key players that contributed towards the success of Health care delivery in the state.
Goodwill messages came from the Deputy Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Alh. Yahaya Ahmed and Representative of New Incentive Altine Lewis who commended the gesture of the Agency for motivating the staff through presentation of award.
The Senior District Head of Gombe Alh. Abdulkadir Abubakar represented by Alh. Yaya Hammari applauded the concern of the state government in providing quality health care delivery to the people in the state.
A total number of 120 Staff were presented with varrying awards of plaques, cash, wrappers, yards, ipads, android phones and clocks,to beneficiaries including retirees, non salaried persons who volunteered their services to serve in the various primary healthcare facilities across the state.
Eleven Chip Agents representing the Local Governments in the State received Wrappers and Ten Thousand Naira each, While GAVI HRH, Field Volunteers and another set of Volunteers each from the eleven local governments numbering thirty three smiled home with Wrapper and Ten Thousand Naira each.
In the same vein, junior cadre staff of the Primary Healthcare picked from the eleven local Government Areas got a clock and Ten Thousand Naira each and another category of junior cadre from the Agency also got Yards and Ten Thousand Naira each.
The Intermediate Cadre of Primary Healthcare each from the eleven LGAs were presented with either wrapper or Yards and Ten Thousand Naira each While six staff of intermediate cadre got wooden plaques with the exception of Accountant who got an addition of Android phone.
Fourteen Program Area staff and other Sixteen Management and senior cadre received wooden and glass plaques respectively, and eleven retirees from across the eleven local governments go home with yards and twenty thousand naira each.
Five Staff from Akko, Billiri, Dukku, Gombe and Yamaltu-Deba were adjudged the best in biometric attendance were rewarded with wooden plates, tablets, and twenty thousand naira each with an additional ten thousand naira each donated by the consultant in charge of biometric attendance in the state, and Four Technical Directorate staff got glass plagues.
The Governor and his Deputy falls within the Chief Executive Award and received the Mega Glass Award alongside the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, Dr. Ismail Jibril, and Dr. Ishiyaku Mohammed, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget, Economic Planning and Development Partner Coordination Office.
Others within the category of the Chief Executive Award include, the Senior District Head of Gombe, Alh. Abdulkadir Abubakar, Alh. Ali Ashaka, Hadiza Usman Shinga, and Representative of World Health Organization (WHO) United Nations International Children’s Fund( UNICEF) and TCI respectfully.