Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the reinstatement of 23 health workers previously suspended for being absent from their duties at Gwoza General Hospital. This decision was announced during the Governor’s inspection of the newly renovated maternity and child center, along with other ongoing projects at the facility.
The health workers were suspended after Governor Zulum’s earlier visit to the hospital, where he found them absent. However, in addressing the situation, Zulum emphasized the importance of dedication and assured the staff of improved working conditions and additional incentives.
“Complaints were made about the 23 medical workers who were absent during my last visit,” Governor Zulum said. “No one is perfect, so the government has pardoned them, although no arrears will be paid.”
Responding to concerns about staffing shortages raised by the Principal Medical Officer of Gwoza General Hospital, Dr. Nuhu Nasiru Wakawa, the Governor announced the immediate deployment of four doctors and ten nurses to the hospital. Additionally, he confirmed plans to upgrade Gwoza General Hospital to support training for nursing students from a new school of nursing currently under construction.
“The Commissioner of Health, together with the Chief Medical Director of the Hospitals Management Board, will work on this deployment,” Zulum noted. “We will also recruit community health workers from Gwoza to strengthen local healthcare services.”
In addition to healthcare developments, Governor Zulum also inspected the ongoing construction of a crusher plant base in Pulka, which will have the capacity to produce up to 300 tonnes of stones per hour. He highlighted that the completion of the crushing and asphalt plants will play a vital role in enhancing road networks across the state.
The Governor also visited other infrastructure projects, including a 500-unit mass housing project in Wala B, Gwoza Local Government Area, and a proposed site for a high Islamic school in Bama. These visits underline his administration’s focus on advancing both infrastructure and education across Borno State.