It has been somewhat ‘a bad week’ for the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammed Pate as he has begun to receive a salvo of shots since Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
It began with the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, giving him and the Permanent Secretary of his ministry, Daju Kachollom, a 72-hour ultimatum to appear before it over allegations of misusing $300m malaria fund.
This committee also threatened to order the arrest of Kachallom Daju, if she fails to honour the summons, having failed to make herself available after three invitations.
The minister and the permanent secretary are also expected to answer questions on allegations of denying indigenous manufacturers of insecticidal nets from participating in the contract for the procurement of the items and other related products.
Chairman of the committee, Rep Amobi Ogah, who read out the resolutions of the committee at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, on Tuesday , expressed the displeasure of committee members with respect to the absence of the Permanent Secretary.
He said, ‘Nigeria borrowed $100m from the Islamic Bank which was approved by National Assembly in 2021.
Out of the $100m, $10m was a grant and another $200m borrowed from the World Bank in the same year for Impact Project (Malaria Financing Agreement), making it a total of $300m.
The resolution by National Assembly is that local content must be prioritized to enable local manufacturers get things done, but the ministry went ahead to ask the United Nations Office for Project Services to do the procurement process at a cost of over $3m for the purchase of anti-malaria commodities’.
Ogah, who described malaria as an epidemic in the country, said the government had always wanted to help the people, but that ‘most times’ , the civil servants ‘are our problem’.
‘This money has been made available since 2021. We have been inviting the Permanent Secretary. This is the third time we are inviting her to come and explain to us what has happened.
Have they used the money? If they have not used the money, where is the money? It is a matter of simple explanation. But they have been running away, calling all manner of people to talk to us. But we are here to defend Nigerians. We were elected to represent our people. Nigerians cannot continue to die of malaria, even when the government has made every necessary effort to see that eradication is being achieved by 2030.
The National Assembly will no longer tolerate the attitude of civil servants taking the parliament for a ride. Enough is enough. We were elected by our people to represent them. We were elected to talk for them and defend them. And we are talking about a disease that has turned into an epidemic. We will not hesitate to invoke our constitutional right to compel the Permanent Secretary to be arrested if she fails to honour the summons’ he added.
Ogah also disclosed that the committee had a few weeks ago received a petition from Seasons Law Firm on behalf of Rosies Textile Mills Limited, accusing the Ministry of Health and Permanent Secretary of denying indigenous manufacturers of insecticidal nets from participating in the contract for the procurement of insecticidal nets and other related products.
Before getting a breather from that, some nurses in the country also had lawsuit instituted against the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the Health minister over the new certificate verification guidelines.
Recall that the NMCN had on February 7, 2024, issued a circular revising the guidelines for requesting verification of certificates for nurses and midwives.
The council noted in the new guidelines that came into force on March 1, 2024, that applicants seeking verification of certificates from foreign nursing boards and councils must possess two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing licence.
Nurses in Abuja and Lagos had consequently held protest march to demand the reversal of the new guidelines.
However, some dissatisfied nurses, on behalf of their colleagues, has instituted a law suit against the Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria; the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria; the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare; the Federal Ministry of Health; and the Attorney General of the Federation at the National Industrial Court , Abuja.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the complainants in the suit marked: NICN/ABJ/ 76/2024, are Desmond Aigbe; Kelvin Ossai; Catherine Olatunji-Kuyoro; Tamunoibi Berry; Osemwengie Osagie; Abiola Olaniyan; Idowu Olabode, and Olumide Olurankinse.
They are urging the court to restrain the defendants or their agents from implementing the NMCN circular pending the determination of the suit.
The nurses also urged the court to ensure that the new guidelines do not come into force at least for now.
‘An interlocutory order restraining suspending the commencement of the 2nd Defendant ‘REVISED GUIDELINES FOR VERIFICATION OF CERTIFICATE(S) WITH THE NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL OF NIGERIA’ earlier proposed to take effect from the 7th of March, 2024, as indicated on the 2nd Defendant’s circular dated 7th February, 2024 pending the hearing and determination of the Claimants/Applicants Originating Summons in this suit.
An interlocutory order restraining the Defendants, their Partners, parastatals, subjects, counterparts. agents, servants, privies, assigns, or whoever, acting for. with or on behalf of 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 the country to seek better career opportunities and training abroad.
An interlocutory order of the court mandating 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 Claimants/Applicants Originating Summons’ the nurses submitted in the suit they filed against the minister and others.
During the court session on Wednesday, counsel for the complainants, Ode Evans, said he had just received the preliminary objection filled by the first and second defendants ‘some moments ago’ and urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable him reply their applications.
Evans said, ‘I confirmed the receipt of the application from the first and second defendants this morning. We shall be asking for a date to enable us to file our responses’.
Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, who presided over the court session, latter adjourned the matter till May 20 for hearing while asking that the hearing notice be served on the Federal Ministry of Health and the Attorney General of the Federation, who had no legal representation in court–Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
