Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Once again, yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari assured Nigerians that his administration will resolve lingering insecurity-related issues in some parts of the country.
The president specifically said successes recorded in degrading Boko Haram in the North East would be extended to various parts of the country experiencing security challenges.
President Buhari said these when he met with executive members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), led by the President, Dr. Francis Adedayo Faduyile, at the State House, yesterday.
At the meeting, Buhari appealed to governors and local government chairmen to complement the Federal Government’s effort and get more children off the streets and into classrooms.
This was even as the president said efforts are ongoing to improve employment level, following the success in getting many into the agricultural sector and stressed that opening up the economy for investments and getting the youths engaged will control crime rate.
The president spoke on health and education and urged states and local governments to play stronger roles in complementing government efforts, especially in getting more children into classrooms.
“The issues of health and education are constitutional. If there are too many almajiris in a state, then the government is not following the constitution. The states also have elite who are educated enough to remind their governments about their responsibility to almajiris,” he said.
According to Buhari, successes recorded in degrading terrorists in the North East will be extended to various parts of the country experiencing challenges, assuring Nigerians that security still tops his list of priorities.
“If you cannot secure a country or institution, you cannot manage it.”
In his remarks, NMA President congratulated Buhari for winning a second term and attributed his return to government efforts to reposition the country, especially the health sector, in the establishment of a cancer centre at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba.
Faduyile commended the president for always looking towards the NMA to appoint competent members for positions in the health sector, and assured him that the medical association will continue to partner with the government to bring good health services to Nigerians.
He said there is need to make the National Health Insurance Scheme compulsory for all Nigerians, including those in the informal sector, as some special treatments, like cancer, would require funds that might be beyond the reach of many.
The NMA president urged government to further strengthen the primary healthcare system, institute a health bank where medical professionals can access loans for facilities, remove duties on imported medical equipment and give more attention to security.