*Says former DNS’s experience, discipline, leadership skills, qualify her for PS
By Victor Lewis
The Delta State Nurses Forum for Truth, Justice and Good Governance (DSTJGG) has appealed to the Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to consider promoting the immediate past Director of Nursing Services, Mrs. Gloria Igumbor, to the position of a Permanent Secretary in recognition of her contributions to the growth and development of the Nursing sector in the State.
The Forum which made this passionate appeal via a press statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Comrade Nicholas Anadi, and made available to newsmen in Asaba recently, outlined the achievements of Mrs. Igumbor as DNS, stressing that she ensured that a very high level of professionalism and standard were maintained as reflected on the services and quality of graduates produced by the State Nursing institutions during her tenure.
He recalled that the tenure of the immediate past Director of Nursing Services was very eventful, adding that Mrs. Igumbor deserves to be elevated to the position of a Permanent Secretary to enable her deplore her wealth of experience, dedication and managerial discipline for the greater good of Deltans.
“After several years of very fruitful and fulfilling service as a Director of Nursing in the State, Mrs. Igumbor has left a landmark in all aspects of Nursing services. Professionally, her imprint was quite significant and memorable in the training of Nurses, just as her effort led to the upgrade of the state-owned four Schools of Nursing to Colleges of Nursing Sciences.
“Our option which we stand by is that Mrs. Gloria Igunbor should be elevated from where she is presently deployed in the State Aids Control Unit to the position of a PS.
“This is because her present office is not only a mockery orchestrated by the Health Commissioner, but a demotion to someone who had put in several years of meritorious services to the growth and development of the Nursing profession in the State.
“We appeal to the state governor to intervene and make her a permanent secretary based on her achievement in the nursing institution as a DNS for no nurse has ever been made a permanent secretary in Delta State as is happening in other states such as Bayelsa, etc.
“Mrs. Gloria Igumbor sometime ago, was the Program Officer for Disease Surveillance, M&E office and also, a Functioning Assistant Director, Planning Research & Statistics in the Primary Health Care Development Agency. She has sufficiently acquired the requisite experience and capacity to function properly if she is promoted to the position of a Permanent Secretary”, the Forum insisted.
It also used the occasion to sternly warn a recalcitrant gang of sponsored miscreants who are being used in the social media to do malicious publications as well as cast aspersions on the person of Mrs. Igumbor and even extending same to the personality of the former governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and his wife, adding that it would no longer tolerate any more blackmail of such anymore..
According to the Forum, the mischief makers who take advantage of social media freedom to carry out malicious and inciting publications to insult the integrity of the former DNS, even after she has been redeployed, are part of those known corrupt staff who were caged by Mrs. Igumbor’s highly uncompromising style of leadership which made it difficult for them to engage in unwholesome practices while she was there.
“People should not use the media and publications in papers as a tool to insult the former governor Okowa, his wife and Mrs. Gloria Igumbor because we in this forum do bitterly frown at it as our former governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and his family do not deserve to be insulted after all he did for Delta state. We in this Forum take exception to such blackmail on the former governor and his family”, the group said
It further cautioned that it would no longer tolerate any embarrassment of the former DNS, whom they recalled was already a Functioning Assistant Director Planning Research & Statistics in the Primary Health Care Development Agency, when the present Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojeme was a trainee under her in the hospital on Infection Control & Signs of Infection Diseases many years ago.
“Dr Joseph Onojeme was a civil servant, employed into the HMB during Dr.Joseph Otumara’s time as Commissioner of Health. As at then, the State Director of Nursing Services was already functioning the above mentioned capacity and portfolio.
“As a Disease Surveillance Officer, she trained Dr.Joseph Onojeme working in the hospital on Infection Control & Signs of Infection Diseases and safety in areas such as lassa fever, etc.
“We therefore say that a very high-ranked officer of that magnitude should not be ridiculed through sponsored media and publications by those who found it extremely difficult to cope with her high standard of integrity and uncompromising leadership style with which she elevated the status of nursing in the State to national limelight.
“The Forum is therefore appealing to the state governor to be a father to all by promoting Mrs Gloria Igunbor to the position of a Permanent Secretary instead of the present demotion punitively meted on her by the Commissioner For Health.
It would be recalled that Mrs. Igumbor’s tenure as Director of Nursing Services in the State witnessed the practical upgrade and development of the status of the four state institutions of nursing to Colleges of Nursing Sciences, improved training and learning infrastructure as well as established an effective administration style that promoted discipline, sincerity, hard work and dedication to duty, amongst staff and students under her leadership.
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