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Nurses sue health minister, others over new certificate verification guidelines

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Nurses sue health minister, others over new certificate verification guidelines

Several Nigerian nurses have filed a lawsuit against the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and the Minister of Health in challenge of the council’s recently implemented certificate verification guidelines.

The NMCN issued a circular on February 7, 2024, revising the process for nurses and midwives seeking verification of their certificates for foreign licensing boards.

The new requirement stipulates that applicants must have two years of post-qualification experience after receiving their permanent practicing license.

These changes sparked protests from nurses in Abuja and Lagos, who demanded a reversal of the policy.

The lawsuit, filed before the National Industrial Court in Abuja, is spearheaded by eight nurses representing their colleagues.

The plaintiffs in the case, marked NICN/ABJ/76/2024, include Desmond Aigbe, Kelvin Ossai, Catherine Olatunji-Kuyoro, Tamunoibi Berry, Osemwengie Osagie, Abiola Olaniyan, Idowu Olabode, and Olumide Olurankinse.

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The nurses are seeking an injunction to halt the implementation of the NMCN circular “pending the determination of the suit.”

Their legal filings request a court order to; Suspend the implementation of the “REVISED GUIDELINES FOR VERIFICATION OF CERTIFICATE(S) WITH THE NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL OF NIGERIA,” which took effect on March 1, 2024.

It also seeks to prohibit the defendants “from taking any further step that may hinder, restrict, or infringe on the constitutional rights and freedom of nurses and midwives in Nigeria from emigrating to seek better career opportunities and training abroad.”

The suit seeks to instruct “the 1st & 2nd Defendants to continue to carry out verification of certificates or any documents requested by applicants, their other intending colleagues, and other members of the Nursing and Midwifery profession within 7 days from the date of such application pending the hearing and determination of the lawsuit.”

During the court proceedings on Wednesday, the lawyer representing the nurses, Ode Evans, requested an adjournment to respond to a preliminary objection filed by the NMCN.

“We shall be asking for a date to enable us to file our responses,” Evans stated after confirming receipt of the objection.

The presiding judge, Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, granted the request and adjourned the hearing until May 20, 2024.

The court also ordered that notice of the hearing be served on the Federal Ministry of Health and the Attorney General of the Federation, who were not represented at the initial proceedings.

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Yahaya Bello govt spending third term in office through Ododo – Clark

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Yahaya Bello, Chief Edwin Clark

Yahaya Bello govt spending third term in office through Ododo – Clark

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, says the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, administration was nothing to write home about.

This is even as he asked the embattled former governor to surrender himself to the authorities.

Bello has been in the news for days on end over money laundering and financial impropriety.

He was declared wanted after he evaded the economic and financial crimes commission (EFCC) who had stormed his Abuja residence to apprehend him.

Speaking on Bello’s time as the governor of the middle belt state, Clark, who is the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, stated that state sponsored violence, corruption, civilian repression and political killings were rife when Bello was in office.

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Clark also pointed out that Bello is still running the show in Kogi state as he is currently spending third term in power through the incumbent governor, Ododo, who he planted in office.

“Yahaya Bello is just being stubborn. He has been living very very rough…having a very rough government, corruption, killing of people in the place during elections and so on,” Clark said during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday.

“There’s time for everything and it has come for him to answer questions. He should go to court. He should go to court to answer the substance of the case, where did he get the money from?

“Is it true or not that the money he paid to the American school belongs to him or belongs to the government of Kogi State?

“The behaviour of the new Governor shows Yahaya Bello is in power for the third time. Ahmed Ododo is just running after him.

“I just want to plead with Ododo to do the needful so that the youth in this country will have something to fall upon.”

Yahaya Bello govt spending third term in office through Ododo – Clark

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‘Unfounded accusation’ – Obi slams Umahi over instigation of Igbo against Tinubu claim

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David Umahi, Peter Obi

‘Unfounded accusation’ – Obi slams Umahi over instigation of Igbo against Tinubu claim

Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, says he is not in the business of whipping up ethnic sentiments or amplifying Nigeria’s fault lines to gain socio-political mileage.

Obi said this reaction to comment made by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, at an event on Wednesday on the Lagos-Calabar road project.

Obi has been vocal in his criticism of the road project, calling it a misplaced priority as it is not what Nigeria needs at a time of lean resources and plethora of challenges begging for drastic solution.

Umahi while speaking at the event said Obi’s position on the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project amounted to pitting Nigerians of Eastern extraction, who are majorly Igbos, against the government of President Bola Tinubu.

He also accused Obi of demolishing property without compensating those affected when he was Anambra governor, Obi was inciting South Easterners against the government

“When His Excellency Peter Obi was the governor. He made a statement saying, “Any infrastructure that stands in the way of the road must go. And there would be no compensation paid.” That’s what he said,” Umahi said.

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“And I think he’s inciting some of the South-East people that are not well informed. He is inciting them. And gets them into trouble,” he added

Reacting to Umahi’s allegation of divisiveness and sedition in a statement on Wednesday, Obi opined that he is a preacher of peace and advocate of unity who always wants what is best for the country.

Obi, who described criticisms that he is inciting Igbo against Tinubu’s government as baseless, stated that he won’t wallow in the murky water of divisive ethnic politics like many of his contemporaries and opponents do.

He stated, “My focus is on fostering constructive dialogue and inclusivity, rather than engaging in divisive politics, Claims of incitement are baseless distractions. I have always advocated unity and advancement, refusing to partake in reactionary divisive politics.

“I refuse to be reduced to the level of those who wallow in ethnic politics. Worse still, I have never and can never descend so low as to base my political aspirations on any sectional or ethnic interest.”

The former Anambra governor also said there were no comparisons between the demolition he did when he was governor and what the Tinubu-led government was currently doing.

‘Unfounded accusation’ – Obi slams Umahi over instigation of Igbo against Tinubu claim

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NDIC jacks up deposit insurance cover from N500,000 to N5m

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NDIC jacks up deposit insurance cover from N500,000 to N5m

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has announced a significant increase in the maximum deposit insurance coverage levels for Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and other financial institutions, effective immediately.

During a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, NDIC Managing Director Bello Hassan disclosed, “For Deposit Money Banks, the increase of the maximum deposit insurance coverage from N500,000 to N5,000,000, would provide full coverage of 98.98% of the total depositors compared with the current cover of 89.20%. In terms of the value of deposit covered, the revised coverage would increase the value of deposits covered by deposit insurance to 25.37% compared with the current cover of 6.31% of the total value of deposits.”

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Hassan further explained, “The increase of the maximum deposit insurance coverage for primary mortgage banks from N500,000 to N2,000,000 would provide full coverage of 99.99% of the total number of depositors and would increase the value of deposits covered by deposit insurance to 43.10% of the total value deposits from the current cover of 40.60%.”

Additionally, Hassan noted, “The increase of the maximum deposit insurance coverage for subscribers of Mobile Money Operators from N500,000 to N5,000,000 per subscriber.”

NDIC jacks up deposit insurance cover from N500,000 to N5m

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