The House of Representatives has stopped the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) from implementing new guidelines for verifying certificates of nurses and midwives.
This decision came after Rep. Patrick Umoh (APC-Akwa-Ibom) raised a motion during Tuesday’s session in Abuja.
The revised guidelines, dated February 7, 2024, were supposed to start on March 1, 2024. One of the main changes was that applicants needed at least two years of post-qualification experience from when they got a permanent practice license.
To meet this requirement, they had to get a letter of good standing from their workplace CEO and last training institution, with processing taking at least six months.
Rep. Umoh argued that the requirement of two years of post-qualification experience was unfair, arbitrary, and unreasonable.
He was concerned that this requirement could hinder nurses from furthering their education or improving their skills at foreign universities.
Additionally, he pointed out that the need for a letter of good standing from employers could lead to forced labor, as it gives employers too much power over their employees, resembling a form of modern slavery.
The House agreed with Rep. Umoh’s concerns and urged the NMCN to delay the implementation of the new guidelines until further investigation by the House.
The House Committees on Health Institutions and Legislative Compliance were tasked with ensuring that this resolution was followed and investigating any controversies related to the revised guidelines, with a report expected in six weeks.
