The Niger State Government has signed an engagement bond with medical students at the clinical stage in various health tertiary institutions within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
The initiative, which was at the instance of the Office of the Head of Service of Niger State, was aimed at catching them young to fill the health personnel deficit in the state.
Speaking at the event that took place on Monday at the Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, who was represented by his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, urged the beneficiaries of the programme to aspire to be good in both academics and character.
The governor, who said he was adequately informed that the students chosen have in their clinical years exhibited a plausible willingness to embrace the offer, added that the initiative was part of the 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.
"On behalf of Mr. Governor, Farmer Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, Members of the State Executive Council, and the Government of Niger State, I therefore have the honour of officially placing 60 medical students of Niger State into the civil service on GL.10 under the bond agreement period stipulated in the documents," he declared.
He also disclosed that the present administration under his leadership has made arrangements with universities in India to train medical, engineering, and ICT students, adding that training of medical students has commenced at IBB University Lapai and that the conversion of Shiroro Hotel to a teaching hospital has reached an advanced stage, which he said will also provide opportunities for postgraduate training.
In his remarks, the Head of Service of Niger State, Abubakar Y. Salisu, said they had received approval for the programme since October last year, but because they wanted to make adequate arrangements and background checks for the beneficiaries, the launch of the programme was delayed until now.
He said the present administration under Farmer Governor Umaru Bago has a dream for the state and that the dream has started to become reality through the enhancement of critical infrastructure, which needs those to utilise them.
Abubakar Salisu disclosed that they were targeting 120 students by the end of the first tenure of the governor, where 30 students will be added to the pool every year, adding that among the first 60 students were 43 male and 17 female.
He added that it was important to catch them young as most of the old hands were gradually exiting the service, leaving a vacuum to be filled, revealing that they were expected to serve the state twice the years they were engaged, and advised the beneficiaries that it was better to serve their people and receive blessings than to go where no one would recognise and appreciate them.
Niger State Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Tukur Mohammed, admitted that there were deficits of human resources in the health sector, adding that the state governor had earlier approved the recruitment of 1,000 health workers, which the Civil Service Commission had completed recently, and also an entry point for CONHESS 3 step 3, which is in accordance with the federal government.
He explained that the bond signing means that the state government will be paying the students monthly salaries to ensure they excel in their studies, adding that the engagement programme was a step in the right direction as the government was leaving no stone unturned to improve health facilities in the state, and he observed that without personnel to utilise them, it amounts to nothing.
The highlight of the occasion was the symbolic signing of the engagement bond and the presentation of the letter of engagement to the beneficiaries.