New Permanent Secretary, Federal Health Ministry, Assumes Duty 

By Paul Obi in Abuja

The new Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abdullahi Mashi, has assumed duty. Mashi, who addressed directors and management staff of the ministry on his resumption in Abuja earlier in the week, emphasised the need to improve on service delivery at hospitals, particularly, the Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments, in order to address the current worrisome situation experienced by patients across the country.

He urged the Servicom Department in the ministry to occasionally pay unscheduled visits to hospitals to monitor activities with the aim of ensuring proper work ethics and improvement in service delivery.

The new permanent secretary said with the high calibre of staff at the health ministry, he was at home and willing to learn quickly in order to acclimatise to his new office.

Mashi also sought the cooperation of members of the labour union of the ministry, which he said was necessary for a peaceful working environment.

The directors took turns to welcome the new permanent secretary and pledged their support and commitment to the success of his tenure.

According to the Director of Press in the ministry, Mr. Boade Akinola, the new PM is an accountant by profession and an indigene of Katsina State, who was deployed from the Federal Ministry of Communication.