News
UK to stop active recruitment of healthcare workers from Nigeria
The United Kingdom has placed Nigeria on the list of countries that should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers.
The UK made the adjustment in its updated ‘Code of Practice’ for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel.
The red list, where Nigeria now falls, is drawn from the World Health Organisation (WHO) health workforce support and safeguards list.
In March, the WHO published the safeguards list comprising 55 countries — including Nigeria — struggling with a shortage of health workers.
The UK government said Nigeria and other countries on the red list should be prioritised for health personnel development and health system-related support as well as provided with safeguards that discourage active international recruitment of their workers.
“Countries on the list should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers, recruitment organisations, agencies, collaborations, or contracting bodies unless there is a government-to-government agreement in place to allow managed recruitment undertaken strictly in compliance with the terms of that agreement,” the code of practice reads.
The UK, however, said the list does not prevent individual health and social care personnel in the red list countries from “independently” applying for employment in the country — “without being targeted by a recruitment agency or employer”.
The code of practice also states that “ethical recruitment is determined by the country from which the individual is resident in, rather than the nationality of the individual or their original country of training”. This means that if a health worker is a national of a red list country but does not reside there or in another red list country, the restrictions do not apply.
The UK also said if a government-to-government agreement is put in place between a partner country, which restricts recruiting organisations to the terms of the agreement, the country can be added to the amber list.
Kenya and Nepal are countries on the amber list.
Countries that are not on either the red or amber lists are to be considered ‘green’ countries and active recruitment is permitted where there is a government-to-government agreement with the UK in place.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state.
TheCable understands that Usman Ododo, Kogi governor, brought Bello to Abuja this morning and invited EFCC to come pick him up.
The EFCC had charged the former governor with alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of N80.2 billion.
In April, the commission declared Bello wanted after several attempts to arrest him proved unsuccessful.
On August 20, the court of appeal in Abuja ordered Bello to surrender himself for arraignment.
Ola Olukoyede, EFCC chairman, would later allege that Bello withdrew $720,000 from Kogi coffers to pay his child’s school fees in advance.
The anti-graft agency also filed a 19-count charge against Bello over alleged money laundering.
However, the arraignment was stalled due to the absence of the former governor.
In May, Abdulwahab Mohammed, counsel to Bello, told the court that the former governor’s whereabouts remain unknown and that he was nurturing some safety concerns.
On August 20, the court of appeal in Abuja ordered Bello to surrender himself for arraignment.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, had said the court’s ruling was a “vindication” of the EFCC’s stance that Bello must face trial.
Sources had told TheCable that Bello has been hiding in plain sight — holed up in the “protective custody” of the Kogi state government — since he was declared wanted by the EFCC.
President Bola Tinubu has asked the house of representatives to confirm Olufemi Oluyede as the substantive chief of army staff (COAS).
Tinubu’s request is contained in a letter read by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, during plenary on Tuesday.
Tinubu said Oluyede’s confirmation is in accordance with the provision of section 218(2) of the 1999 constitution as amended and section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act.
The president said the army chief’s contribution to the military and Nigeria makes him “well-suited” for the role.
He said Oluyede has been professional in his duties, adding that his confirmation should be done “expeditiously”.
On October 30, Tinubu appointed Oluyede as the acting COAS following the prolonged illness of Taoreed Lagbaja, the former army chief.
The Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma and his Housing and Urban Development counterpart, Francis Ori.
It was gathered that they were suspended on Monday during the State Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital.
A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, which was sighted by our correspondent on Tuesday morning, read, “Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of Council directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Health respectively.”
It was also learnt that the development may be connected to the alleged theft of pieces of property belonging to the Ministry of Health by its officials and the reported underperformance of the Housing and Urban Development commissioner and his shoddy handling of the Amaeze Housing Scheme in the Ishielu Local Government Area of the state.
Recall that the governor was in the health ministry’s premises on Saturday night and met a scene where six officials were caught allegedly diverting government materials.
He, therefore, ordered their arrest and eventual prosecution.
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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.
She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others
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