SECRETARIAT REPORT FOR THE YEAR
2008-2009. PRESENTED AT THE NMA KWARA AGM 2008 HELD ON
30th of JULY, 2009 AT THE STATE BANQUET HALL OPPOSITE
GOVERNMENT HOUSE KWARA STATE, ILORIN.
Preamble/Protocol
The Chairman/ past Chairmen, Medical Elders and the
entire members of
NMA. All other protocols duly observed.
The
present Executives of the NMA Kwara State branch were
elected in to office on July 19th ,2008. It is stating
the obvious that, in the last one year, our association
has recorded unprecedented achievements in recent times.
Let me seize your attention as I take you through a year
journey of countless success stories in the area of
structural facelift, closeness to the State Government,
successful tackling of challenges from the UBA loan
facility lor members and sustenance of the achievements
of the last executives.
1. STRUCTURAL FACELIFT OF NMA SECRETARIAT
The entire NMA secretariat has been given a
comprehensive structural facelift. Total de-roofing of
the building and immediate replacement with aluminium
roofing sheets and plastic ceiling of the main hall were
done eight months ago to put to an end to the
recalcitrant leaking roof of the secretariat. This
project was carried out with the Nl.8 Million Naira loan
taken by NMA from UBA.
About two month; ago secretariat renovation committee,
comprising of Drs' Aiyejumoh, Adebola and Fowotade was
set up to carry out painting of the entire secretariat
to be jointly financed by NMA and MDCN, acquire a new
split 2HP A/C for the Chairman's office and furnishing
of the same ,office, only the furnishing is yet to be
completely executed.
2. CLOSENESS TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT
The present NMA Executive led by Dr. Olokoba was able to
establish a long awaited relationship with the State
Government through advocacy, lobbying, and constructive
engagements with government on health issues and welfare
of medical personnel. This greatly changed the
disposition of government favourably towards our
association which has been openly demonstrated by the
new 18seater bus given to NMA and 2 slots for hajj
approved for the association on yearly basis. The
magnanimity of the government to the association was
crowned by the tremendous support towards the ongoing
A.G.M. 2009 activities both in kind and in cash.
NMA Kwara State is now being consulted by the State
Government on health issues for our professional input.
It is also instructive to note that the State Government
has intimated the association of her desire to elevate
the medical facilities in some selected slate hospitals
and also 10 employ specialists in order to deliver
improved medical services to the masses. Already, a
letter of advertisement for those posts have been sent
to NMA secretariat which has since been sent to all the
Affiliates.
3. CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
NMA contributed to the alleviation of sufferings of the
victims of flooding of Asa River that happened during
the last year raining season. The victims were relocated
to the Muslims' hajj camp at Adewole where the
association made donations of food items and toiletries
materials.
4. WELFARE PACKAGE
i. The present executive has been able to improve the
welfare of doctors in the service of State Government
through positive engagements with the dynamic State
Commissioner for Health. Infact, the doctors now enjoy a
15% pay rise after a bipartite meeting between the NMA
and the State Ministry of Health. The meeting also
sensitized the government to future upward salary
review.
ii. Also doctors in the service of the University of
Ilorin now earn full call duty allowance through the
successful negotiation with the authority of the
University.
iii. The association sought and obtained two expanse of
land adjacent to UITH permanent site for members to buy
and develop. The two phases has been allocated to the
beneficiaries except for minor hitches which are being
rectified because the available land was oversubscribed
for, the last AGM mandated the NMA land committee to
seek for the third phase which has been acquired and
members have started paying for desired number of plots.
iv. Repayment of the UBA loan facility which the last
executive disbursed to members is still on going with
the successful liquidation of the first batch of
beneficiaries last May. We have been able to maintain a
constant low interest rate on the loan facility despite
FG backed hike in the bank interest rate and this was
achieved through a robust negotiation between the
association and the UBA.
5. MDCN PRACTICE FEES
The central collation system that was met on ground is
being sustained. The secretariat coordinates the
collection of the forms and the fees. This is promptly
sent to the Resident Representative of MDCN in Kwara
State, Dr. Fagbayi. The receipts and the certificates
are promptly dispatched to the affiliates as they arrive
The state has MDCN monitoring committee headed by Dr.
fagbayi. the committee met once since the inception of
the current executives. however, inspection and
monitoring of private hospitals has not started.
6. REMUNERATION AND WAGES
The association has been able to pay their staff up to
date. leave bonuses has also been paid. Recently there
was upward review of salary for all the secretariat
staff to boost their morale and motivate them to work
harder.
7. STATE OFFICERS (SOC)/ EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE (SEC) MEETINGS
The 2008/2009 year had two SOC, three SEC and two ESEC
meeting with four ordinary and two Emergency General
Meetings: The activities of the association were
organised and carried out by the respective officers in
accordance with the collective decisions taken at such
meetings using the provisions of the associations state
bye-laws as our guide.
New Deputy Chairman for the association was elected in
February to represent the· then incumbent who relocated
from State.
8. NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING AND ADM, EDM
The state branch of the NMA attended all NEC meetings
and ADM. The meetings were held in Awka, Gombe and
Abeokuta. A meeting of all state Chairmen national NMA
NOC and the Honourable Minister of Health and EDM were
also held in Abuja about two months ago. The Issues
discussed at those meetings have been related to the
menbers of our great association.
The Kwara NMA was, involved in the decision of the NMA
national on the issuance of ultimatum to the FG on the
resolution of MSS and MSSS for Nigerian Doctors at the
Abeokuta ADM with the MSS/MSSS which the NMA has been
pursuing in the past eleven years may soon come to
reality by the end of September.
9. DEATH OF ONE OF THE SECRETARIAT
STAFF
During the out gone year, a member of our secretariat
staff died after a brief illness. He is Mr Rahim Ibrahim,
a security man. May his soul rest in peace.
10. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
i wish to appreciate the tremendous zeal of the chairman
in taking the association
this far.
My thanks also go to the SOC and SEC members for their
efforts and contributions in the area of secretariat
activities.
I must also show my appreciation to the secretariat
staff for the support at various times, odd and even.
It is imperative for me to appreciate all members of
this association for their support, encouragement and
valuable advice.
My sincere gratitude goes to the ex officio I and II for
their timely advice and privately and publicly which has
contributed to the smooth running of secretariat
activities.
Finally, I wish to appreciate my family for their
patience and almighty God for
his grace. .
Thank you.
Dr Sulieman Zakari
NMA Kwara Secretary General
