The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, took to his official social media platform to advocate for nurses’ and midwives’ access to global opportunities.
Obi expressed concerns regarding the recent circular issued by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), which mandates two-year post-qualification experience for certificate verification for foreign nursing boards. Obi emphasized that nurses and midwives should not face barriers to global employment due to the council’s policy.
He called on the council to reconsider its conditions for nursing personnel working overseas.
Additionally, Obi urged the federal government to enhance investment in nursing colleges across Nigeria, advocating for the establishment of more institutions to expedite students’ access to global job opportunities.
He said: “I’m urging the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to reverse their recent conditions of our nursing personnel working overseas. We cannot restrict our young ones the opportunities of global employement that is readily available.
“Today, Nigeria has the third most wanted nurses globally. And they should be allowed to see the opportunities that are global for them.
“What we should do as a nation is, since we have these young ones that are productive, and everything is to invest more in the colleges of nursing sciences all over Nigeria in every local government, produce more, ensure that we give them the fastest support to get job globally and become a brand we should celebrate because they are the one that are going to invest in Nigeria.
“Through their remittances and everything we would generate the required foreign exchange for our businesses. So we need to invest more in them. That investment is what is critical
“So please reverse these conditions and support them. And our government should go round and support all the schools of nursing, colleges of nursing that are all over Nigeria.”
