By Remilekun Awokoya
The new directive requested that all nurses must tender their employment letter before being verified by the portal.
The management of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has reopened its verification portal with the new guidelines.
The new directive requested that all nurses must tender their employment letter before being verified by the portal.
A caveat on the newly opened portal reads: “Required: An email requesting a Letter of Good Standing addressed to the Registrar/CEO from Head of Nursing in the Organisation signed by the head of nursing will be sent to the provided email address.”
The latest step by the NMCN is in total disregard to a subsisting order given by the House of Representatives, directing the NMCN management to open the verification portal without any restrictive guidelines.
The House of Representatives had ordered the NMCN to suspend the implementation of the guidelines pending an investigation into the controversy surrounding them.
The NMCN’s verification process is a critical step for nurses and midwives seeking to practise in Nigeria.
The new guidelines have been criticised for being overly restrictive and burdensome, leading to widespread opposition from stakeholders.
In August, media reported how hundreds of Nigerian nurses were stranded due to the continued closure of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) portal.
Meanwhile, Nigerianewsabroad correspondent learnt that the leadership of the NMCN closed the portal in February 2024 and this had brought the verification process for new nurses to a grinding halt, leaving many in limbo.
The issue started on December 22, 2023, when the Registrar of NMCN ordered the immediate closure of the portal without providing any justification.
“I am directed to by the Registrar/CEO, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to inform you to close the verification application portal by 4.00pm today being 22 December, 2023.
“Please note that notice for re-opening of the verification portal will be communicated to you in due course,” a press statement issued to that effect read.
The Nigerian Nursing Council’s online portal was reopened on February 7, 2024, following widespread outrage from affected nurses and intervention by the Ministry of Health.
In an unexpected turn of events, the NMCN authorities suspended the portal’s operations once more on February 27, 2024, attributing their decision to a directive from the House of Representatives.
The future reopening date of the portal remains uncertain.
Nigerianewsabroad gathered that the closure of the portal had left many nurses frustrated and uncertain about their future plans.