The House of Representatives has directed the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to reopen its website for the verification of nurses and midwives, following a dispute over new guidelines introduced by the Council.
This directive requires the Council to revert to the previous verification guidelines until an ongoing investigation by the House Committee on Health Institutions is completed.
The motion for this action was raised by Dr. Patrick Umoh, who emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of institutional procedures and addressing what he described as a misinterpretation of the House’s previous resolution.
Dr. Umoh outlined that the House had initially resolved on February 27, 2024, that the Nursing and Midwifery Council should not implement the revised verification guidelines dated February 7, 2023, until the House’s investigation concluded.
Following this resolution, the House’s Clerk communicated the decision to the Council via letter on March 13, 2024. In response, the Council suspended its verification services and posted a notice on its website stating that the suspension was in compliance with the House’s directive.
Dr. Umoh argued that this action was not what the House intended; rather, the House had only requested a halt to the implementation of the new guidelines, not a complete suspension of the verification services.
Dr. Umoh criticized the Council for shutting down the verification site, accusing it of acting in bad faith and attempting to create a conflict between the House and the Nigerian nurses and midwives.
He expressed concern that this action was detrimental to the professional aspirations of nurses and midwives, who have been unable to pursue their careers or comply with international standards due to the website’s closure.
The House of Representatives’ intervention aims to correct the misrepresentation and ensure that the Council adheres to the House’s resolution.
This action underscores the legislative body’s authority to oversee and influence executive agency operations in matters of public interest and institutional governance.