DR (Mrs) Chioma Nnenna Ejikeme, the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), is a prime role model of Nigerian female health personnel and other aspiring young policy makers.With over 36 years experience in public service, she 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.

As a Medical Officer in the Nigerian Air Force 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 Air Force Medical space. In 1997, Dr Ejikeme was appointed Commissioner for Health in Anambra State. Indeed, she 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 programmes within the State, between the State and other States in the Federation and the State and the Federal Ministry of Health.

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She also formulated, coordinated, supervised and evaluated donor agency-sponsored health programmes for implementation throughout the state. These agencies include the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization (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. It 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, and provision of bore holes. 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.

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While serving as Commissioner for Health, Dr Ejikeme was also a two-term Chairman of the Anambra State Tenders Board during her tenure. After her tenure as Commissioner for Heath she 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.

Until her appointment as Executive Secretary of the PTAD by President Buhari on August 20, 2019, Dr Ejikeme had been running a medium-scale manufacturing company, Karen-Happuck Nigeria Limited. She was the founder and Chief Executive and the company has been in operation for 15 years. 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.

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Dr Ejikeme’s strong leadership and managerial acumen have been largely shaped by her academic-cum-professional background. She had her Primary School education at the All Saints School, Enugu in 1964 and her post-primary education at Queens School, Enugu from 1971-1975. In 1976, Dr Ejikeme gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where she obtained Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery (MB.BS) in 1982. She also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Lagos.

Dr Ejikeme, a PTAD pensioner herself, having retired in the year 2004 under the Defined Benefit Scheme, is married to Arc. Emeka Olisa Ejikeme, a Consultant. The marriage is blessed with three children and two grandchildren.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.