The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has made it clear that the Administration has no plans to shut down the Garki District Hospital, but will take over its management from April 1^st 2022.

According to the minister, the 15 year concession agreement signed between the FCT Administration and the Nisa Medical Group on the management of the hospital expires on the 31^st of March, 2022 after which the hospital reverts back to the FCTA to enable the Administration provide for more public hospital bed spaces.

Malam Musa Bello stressed that contrary to rumours making the rounds, the Administration has no plans to disrupt the operations of the hospital even for a single day following the expiration of the 15-year concession agreement.

The Minister, who spoke today, March 31, when he received the Executive members of the FCT branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), led by its Chairman, Dr. Enema Job Amodu, stressed that the concession agreement had an expiration date as assented to by both parties.

“The FCT Administration is not terminating the Garki District Hospital Concession. Even our distinguished Chairman here said terminate, but it’ not so. The situation is that an agreement was entered 15 years ago and mutually accepted by the FCT Administration and the Nisa Medical Group. It was an agreement that has a commencement date and an expiration date.

“So, by virtue of the agreement, it is supposed to expire on Thursday, 31st March 2022; a natural termination. So, it’s not the FCT terminating the agreement. That’s what we need to understand.

“The whole idea of PPP arrangement is very good. It was the first that was done and as a matter of fact, after that, we have done a couple of PPPs in infrastructure. Even within our existing hospitals, we are now working on a model where certain specialised departments would be run on PPP arrangement. The whole idea is to expand the hospital space, to expand the specialty space. So, we are not terminating anything. It’s an agreement that is going to lapse.”

The Minister said that the government has the responsibility to provide health care to residents of the FCT and shutting down the hospital will go contrary to that responsibility.

“So, how could we just shut our hospital, while we have been given a mandate to provide healthcare. So many people tell me that Garki hospital will be shut down, so many people will lose their jobs, I just find it difficult to comprehend, quite frankly. How can a government just shut a hospital.”

The Minister assured that FCTA officials and the Nisa Group would   work on modalities moving forward, adding that whatever arrangement is reached thereafter will be in the best interest of residents of the Territory and other patrons of the hospital outside the FCT.

He also assured that all medical professionals working or training at the hospital who wish to remain there were free to do so as the administration does not have any intention to disrupt any activity at the hospital.

Malam Musa Bello commended the NMA for the support its members have been giving to his government.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr. Amodu had expressed concern over FCTA’s decision to terminate the concession agreement of the Garki District Hospital with NIA Medical Group.

He noted that if for other reasons, the FCTA deems it fit not to renew the concession, with NISA Medical Group, the FCTA should consider the doctors and other health workers presently working in the hospital with a view to retaining their services and to complete their programmes such as residency training, internship etc.

Dr. Amodu commended the Minister on his achievements in infrastructural development in the FCT, even as he reaffirmed NMA’s commitment to partnering with the FCTA and identifying with its goals and aspirations.

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed concern at the current tax system in Nigeria, which he said, is characterised by fragmented administration, multiple and sometimes, overlapping taxes.

Vowing that his government would remain committed to an efficient tax administration in order to improve tax revenue in the country, while declaring open today, March 29, in Abuja, the second National Tax Dialogue Week, the President said: “in most tax-efficient nations, tax administrative processes and practices are harmonised within a single system.

”One key deliverable of this year’s tax dialogue is to promote synergy in tax administration among the different tiers of government.

”Harmonising taxpayer identification across the country is a good start, but we must do more to promote ease of doing business (including ease of tax compliance) in Nigeria.

”On our part, we have started by clarifying in the 2021 Finance Act that FIRS is the sole authority to administer tax for the Federal Government.

”This clarification became necessary in order to avoid taxpayers being burdened with multiple tax compliance obligations towards different agencies of the same government.

”Multiplicity of tax administration is as undesirable as multiplicity of taxes; it creates uncertainty and instability and above all, it is inefficient.”

The theme of the Dialogue is: ”Tax Harmonisation for Enhanced Revenue Generation.’’

President Buhari said that there is an urgent need to maximise domestic revenue within the extant tax policy and laws.

He, therefore, proposed improved tax revenue for the country which will not necessarily impose new tax rates on Nigerians.

”We all know that good intentions are not enough as they simply cannot pay for infrastructure, security or social amenities. We must therefore improve tax revenue without necessarily raising new taxes.

”Revenue from commodities, including crude oil, are too volatile and unreliable.  Therefore, I pledge government’s support for any viable initiative for improving tax revenue that should emanate from this dialogue.”

On Nigeria’s Tax-to-GDP ratio, the President said that the country also needs to do more in securing a buoyant domestic revenue base of the country that bequeaths an enduring economic foundation, political stability and social harmony to the next generation.

”According to the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in its Revenue Statistics in Africa 2021, the average ratio of Tax-to-GDP of 30 selected African countries in 2019 was 16.6% while Nigeria recorded a mere 6.0%.

”It is obvious that much needs to be done in the area of tax revenue mobilisation.

”It is my expectation that the discussions at this 2022 National Tax Dialogue will be focused on what we must do to maximise legitimate revenue collection and massively improve the Tax-to-GDP ratio.”

On the importance of the Tax Dialogue, which was instituted by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), President Buhari noted that the first edition in 2021 was very productive and integral in influencing tax policy, as well as legislative and administrative changes that were introduced last year.

He said that the most important testament to the success of the first edition is the fact that the FIRS achieved 100% of its collection target in 2021 and surpassed N6 trillion revenue threshold for the very first time.

The President assured Nigerians that the present administration would continue to maintain prudent management of the collective resources.

Facts have started emerging on the attacked Abuja-Kaduna train yesterday, March 28 by terrorists.
A passenger manifest obtained by the officials of the Kaduna State government, showed that 398 passengers bought tickets for the trip, but that 362 were validated as having boarded the train through the recognized turnstile.
The report said that the manifest did not include the staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and security officials who were on board.
An update by the Kaduna State commissioner of
Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan today, March 29, said that security agencies reported that eight bodies were recovered and 26 persons were injured during the attack.
The statement said that investigations are still ongoing to ascertain the status of the passengers who were on board the train and remain unaccounted for at the time of this update. “Search operations are also being sustained. Citizens are requested to contact the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency on the phone line 09088923398, to make enquiries or provide information regarding passengers who were on board the Abuja-Kaduna train AK9.
“Further updates will be communicated to the public.”
The statement said that the report on the detailed passenger manifest for the Abuja-Kaduna train service AK9 which was attacked by terrorists
was received from the Nigerian Railway Corporation.