From HASSAN JIRGI Damaturu
Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni has approved the automatic recruitment of 416 graduates of Shehu Sule College of Nursing Sciences, Damaturu.
Governor Buni made the announcement in a speech delivered at the graduation ceremony of student nurses and midwives on Tuesday in Damaturu.
Represented by his Deputy, Idi Gubana, the governor noted that the state government’s investment in health institutions across the state is to meet personnel needs and upgrade the facilities.
He stated that government’s investment in the college over the past seven years had proven worthwhile, impactful and beneficial to the people of the state.
According to him, the state government had in recent years employed over 3,500 healthcare workers, with many graduates of the college among the beneficiaries to provide adequate, qualified and professional manpower in health facilities.
He added that in a bid to address healthcare challenges, government established a world-class Biomedical Research and Training Centre, BioRTC, at the state university. The permanent site was commissioned a few months ago to promote research and train young scientists in the state.
He assured the college management that the state government would consider its requests and address the issues raised, pledging continued support to make it a leading health training centre in Nigeria.
He also commended the outgoing Provost of the college, Hajiya Hadiza Sabo for successfully completing her two-term tenure and for leading a management team that had set high standards of academic excellence.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for the Health and Human Services, Dr Mohammed Gana said Yobe emerged the best-performing state in primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria, based on an independent survey conducted by the Nigeria Governors Forum under the federal government’s National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, earning the state $1.2 million prize.
The graduates comprise 158 community nurses, 196 basic nurses and midwives, as well as 62 Higher National Diploma, HND, graduates in Nursing.
