TODAY IN NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS

POLITICS

Rebel governors, others suffer double setback. PUNCH

Boy,9, becomes Nigeria’s youngest Microsoft certified professional. PUNCH

Schools merger: CAN gives Aregbesola 7-day ultimatum. - VANGUARD

FG fights to recover N39bn Abacha loot from Liechtenstein. VANGUARD

SPORTS

Eagles storm Addis Ababa tomorrow morning. VANGUARD

In the News Today

• Solomon Lar, former PDP chairman is dead. Punch Newspaper,  Vanguard  
• Court remand 5 over death of doctor Daily Trust 
• Senators want the resignation of Avation Minister Daily Trust 

Lessons From a Nigerian Entrepreneurial Queen

Lessons From a Nigerian Entrepreneurial Queen (463) (NewsUSA) - President Barack Obama's second inauguration, so serendipitously held on the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., wasn't just a transcendental moment for Americans. The day resonated for thousands, but for Nigerian noblewoman, economist, and banker, The Otunba Ayora, Bola Kuforiji-Olubi, it was magic, instructive -- a beautiful experience. "Coming for the second inauguration ceremony of President Obama opened my eyes to see some things that [Nigeria] can invite from your electoral system. There was no acrimony, no fight, no rancor," Dr. Olubi explained. It sparked a surreal visit to the U.S. Dr. Olubi, who was born in 1936 and held office as Nigeria's minister for commerce and tourism in 1993, has achieved more "firsts" than most people can imagine. She is an entrepreneurial spirit and a resilient woman of fervent ambition. Dr. Olubi's trip held a series of heart-warming highlights. Her and her eldest son, Tokunbo Kuforiji, felt blessed to speak at length with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and delighted in a private tour of Johns Hopkins University Hospital by their own director of pediatric neurosurgery, Dr. Benjamin S. Carson. But the 77-year-old -- a queen in her own right -- had her own chance to inspire. She moved an audience to tears as the featured speaker at a reception for the freshly-minted senator from South Carolina, Tim Scott. "She is a woman of firsts; meeting her is a wonderful thrill and honor for me, and for everyone else she has encountered on this visit to our country," said Scott, praising Dr. Olubi's exemplary career. The Otunba Ayora was the first female chairperson of United Bank for Africa. She also sat on sustainable development advisory boards for the UN, became the first Nigerian female CEO of a multinational company, and the first female president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. "I wanted to have an edge over the person sitting next to me," says Dr. Bola. "I'm proud of the fact that in most of the things I've done, I've been well-educated to equip myself. Having a combination of economics and finance has equipped me to be able to work and function properly in the private sector in business and also in the public sector." In an effort to strengthen the presence of Nigerian women in business, Dr. Olubi helped found the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria. "I pride myself on being a person that is able to juggle several balls in the air at the same time. It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of diligence," says Olubi. "And you have to make sure your home front doesn't suffer much, and your work is such that your peers, your superiors, your colleagues, are all seeing you in a positive light."

NEWS TODAY

NEW TODAY

NEW TODAY

Why would health workers in Nigeria continue to strike?

Wikipedia simply described strike as  work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work.

Historically strike as a weapon for seeking redress for labour grievance became common during the Industrial revolution.

This line of action has becoming a common tool for resolving labour dispute among Nigeria labour force without only one variant –general strike being popular and arguably the worst. The health workers have not been left out of this even though the moral expectation would have dictated otherwise.

For various reasons health workers bordering on the nature of work of the health most people would not encourage or expect them to use strike to settle labour dispute. Such include the fact they deal with human lives and  is an essential service. However, they are labourers who have sacrifice so much to attain their level of technical competence especially doctors and their income is tie to their hard earned technical competence and not the priests of the old they are bond to behalf like a other workers. They are human being too!

But why would health workers in Nigeria continue to strike?

• The Government which employs most them appears to be insensitive to their need.In some locations across the country, Government own as much as 98% of the Primary Health Centres. Strike is the last weapon by any reasonable set of worker. Apparently it very uncommon to have strike with this set of workers without notice to the Nigerian Government. But the general attitude of  the Government lean towards in action until the workers really embark on strike. The Government as a contracting partner have a right to prevent the strike in the first place in most of the cases.

• To get improvements where they work in the presently shattered health system. Obviously the Government is not ready for a change due to the obvious deficit in the Health system financing in Nigeria. For example most PHC facilities are in various level of disrepair, with equipment and infrastructure being either absent or obsolete, the referral system is almost non-existent and poorly staffed.  The total health expenditure ( as percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP) from 1998 to 2000 was less than 5%, which is below THE/GDP ratio in other developing countries such as Kenya (5.3%), Zambia (6.2%), Tanzania (6.8%), Malawi (7.2%), and South Africa (7.5%).It is not surprising there is persistent healthcare infrastructural deficit which would continuously be irking the health workers.

• For more money; CONMESS and CONHESS was about that. And as inflation which would surely come like day and night as the Earth remains eroding the present negotiated packages they would ask for more and more in the future.

But should it always be like this!

More articles at NAIJALITE