Tinubu Reappoints Dr Chioma Ejikeme As Executive Secretary Of PTAD

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reappointed Dr Chioma Ejikeme as the executive secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) for another term of four years.

According to a tweet on the verified X account of the Directorate on Thursday Dr Ejikeme’s reappointment took effect from Tuesday, October 10, 2023.

The Head, Corporate Communications at PTAD, Mr. Gbenga Ajayi also confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with our correspondent.

Dr. Ejikeme was first appointed into the position in 2019 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr Ejikeme had, at the expiration of her first term in office in September, handed over the management of PTAD to the Director, Mr. Sulayman Shelleng.

Her reappointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a testament of her hard work and dedication to duties especially ensuring timely payment of pensioners.

Born On the 31st Of August 1958 to the family of the Late Chief Ukachi Ikemba, an Educationist and Political Secretary to the Premier of the Defunct Eastern Nigeria, Dr. M I Okpara , Dr Chioma Nnenna Ejikeme started her Primary School education at the All Saints School, Enugu in 1964.

She attended Queens School, Enugu from 1971-1975 for her Secondary Education. In 1976, Dr Ejikeme was admitted into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where she obtained a Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (MB.BS) degree in 1982. She holds a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) degree from the University of Lagos 2002.

Over her 36-year career, Dr Ejikeme has been a Medical Practitioner an Administrator and an Entrepreneur. Her career started as a House Officer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba in 1983. She served the mandatory National Youth Service with the Ministry of Defence (Nigerian Airforce Medical Services Onikan Lagos) and was retained after NYSC where she rose from Senior Medical Officer II to Principal Medical Officer II (GL 15) until the year 2004.

As a Medical officer in the Nigerian Airforce Medical Services for close to 20 years, she was part of a team that coordinated, improved and facilitated Health care delivery services within the Nigerian Airforce Medical space.

In 1997 Dr Ejikeme took a leave of Absence from the Ministry of Defence to take up appointment as Commissioner for Health in Anambra State. Dr Ejikeme was part of the team that handed over to the current Political dispensation in 1999.

As The Honorable Commissioner for Health in Anambra State, she led the Ministry in policy formulation and implementation while also coordinating health-related programs within the State, between the State and other states in the Federation and the state and the Federal Ministry of Health.

She also formulated, coordinated, supervised and evaluated donor agency sponsored health programs for implementation throughout the state. These agencies include UNICEF, UNFPA and the WHO.

Some of her achievements as Commissioner for Health Anambra State include the establishment of a Central Drug Revolving Fund for the State Ministry of Health, the establishment of a Traditional Medicine Board in the State which was the first to be established in the history of Anambra State.

She also re-organized the existing revenue collection procedure in the State to ensure an effective and affordable health care delivery system. She embarked on the infrastructural rehabilitation of State-owned hospitals with refurbishment of wards, provision of bore holes etc.

She made sure a state-of-the-art modern Dental Clinic with modern Dental Chairs and Dental X-ray equipment was provided at the General Hospital Onitsha and rehabilitated Primary Health Centers across Anambra State with the construction of a brand-new Primary Health Center in Nkpor Uno, Idemili Local Government Area.

Dr Ejikeme while Commissioner for Health was also a Two-Term Chairman of the Anambra State Tenders Board during her tenure.

After her tenure as Commissioner for Heath Dr Ejikeme returned to the Ministry of Defence in June 1999 from where she voluntarily retired from the Civil Service in 2004.

Since retirement, she has availed herself of update courses, attending courses at the then Lagos Business School (LBS) in Manufacturing Management, Accounting for Non-Accountants and the Stanford Seed Transformation Programme for West Africa in Ghana amongst many other update courses.

She is a Life Member of the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University (Former Lagos Business School), A Member of the National Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI) Lagos Chapter, Member Lagos State Chamber Of Commerce & Industry and Member Stanford Seed Transformation Network West Africa.

She is also a Member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a co-opted member of the Anambra State 2019 Presidential Campaign Team.

Until her appointment as Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, on 20th of August, 2019, Dr Ejikeme had been running a Medium-scale manufacturing company, Karen-Happuck Nigeria Limited that has been in operation for 15years.

As the founder and Chief Executive of the company, she has successfully built strong brands and been a mentor to up and coming entrepreneurs. For 15years, Karen-Happuck has also been providing employment opportunities for Nigerians and has imparted skills to a lot of otherwise unskilled workers through training on the job.

Dr. Ejikeme is married to Arc Emeka Olisa Ejikeme a Consultant with three children and two grandchildren. She loves reading, aerobics and travelling.