Anambra health college
Angela Onwuzoo
.Money meant for HOD’s accommodation, travel expenses – PRO
Efforts to curb brain drain in the health sector by the federal and state governments might be futile if certain actions, especially that of alleged extortion levelled against the management of Anambra State College of Health Technology, Obosi, by graduating students, is anything to go by. ANGELA ONWUZOO writes that if nothing is done, almost all the students might not be inducted and given certificates to practise as health workers.
Nigerians are always left helpless anytime the media and stakeholders highlight the shocking dwindling statistics of health workers, especially of those in major specialties that are in high demand.
It hits harder and sad realities dawn when the ratio of essential health workers to patients across the country are referenced.
Despite these sad scenarios, dreams of filling these vacuums created by exiting health workers are nursed by young Nigerians like graduating students of the Community Health Department, Anambra State College of Health Technology, Obosi, in the Idemili North Local Government Area.
They have, however, cried out that their enthusiasm to serve the country might be dimmed by alleged extortion by the school management, after spending so much within the years of their studies.
The students are accusing their Head of Department, Vivian Ileagu, of allegedly using the forthcoming induction to extort them of about N2m.
Money against Community Health Practitioners Registration Board fee
Numbering 103, they alleged that the HOD is compelling them to pay the sum of N50,900 for the induction slated for April 26, 2024, contrary to the N30,000 stipulated in a circular signed by the Registrar, Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria, Bashir Idris, and issued to provosts of all the College of Health Science and Technology in the country.
In the circular issued on December 4, 2023, PUNCH Healthwise observed that the graduating students were instructed to pay N30,000 each for the induction, contrary to the N50,900 demanded by the institution.
The circular
The circular read in part, “I wish to inform you that this Regulatory Board shall commence the induction of its graduating students effective from this year, with the current students that their results have just been released.
“To this end, each student who passed the 2023 national professional qualifying examination is required to pay the sum of N30,000 only for the induction scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. The payment should be paid as the results of the professional examination are being released to the students.”
Speaking exclusively to PUNCH Healthwise, some of the students, who passed their professional qualifying exams in September 2023, said they have been struggling to raise the N30,000, alleging that their situation became compounded when the HOD threatened that those who fail to pay the additional N20,900 would not participate in the induction where they would be presented with certificates and licences to practice.
Describing the additional N20,900, which totalled N2,152,700, as “pure extortion,” the inductees also alleged that they were also mandated by the school authority to pay for brochures, hiring of induction gowns, and entertainment.
‘My parents borrowed to pay three years’ school fees’
One of the students, who spoke anonymously to our correspondent for fear of victimization, said her parents borrowed money to pay her school fees for three years.
“They are petty traders but have vowed to go to any length to sponsor my education. When I finished my professional exams last year in September, my parents were super excited because the burden and shame of borrowing from relatives to pay my school fees were over.
“They are eagerly waiting for me to collect my certificate and licence on the day of the induction so that I can get a job and support the family. The N50,900 that I managed to pay for the induction was also borrowed.
“This time around, my mother borrowed money from the church to raise the money for me. I don’t want to lose my certificate and license,” the young lady lamented.
Another student, who also did not want her name mentioned, described the demand as an act of wickedness, noting that she paid the money out of intimidation.
The student said, “The HOD is asking us to pay an additional N20,900, added to the N30,000 that we were asked to pay by the board. It is pure extortion. We have the circular from the registration board, and it is clearly and boldly written there that we should pay N30,000 only for our induction.
“If we all paid that N20,900, the total would be over N2m. The money is too much. If they had added N5,000 extra to N30,000, maybe we would not be protesting. I only paid the money because of the intimidation by the school authority, not because I had money. I don’t want to be denied my licence and certificate. Things are hard in the country now.”
However, PUNCH Healthwise gathered that most students had yet to pay the money for the induction and had been living in constant fear of losing their certificates and licenses to practice.
“I don’t have that kind of money now. I will not go and steal to pay. They don’t even know how my parents suffered to pay my school fees,” one of the students said gloomily.
Speaking with our correspondent, another student, whose name could not be mentioned due to the sensitive nature of the story, said he does not have the money but would be willing to pay “whenever I have the money before the induction. I am even struggling to eat once a day.”
The students, however, appealed to the Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, to look into the matter so that the N20,900 extra payment allegedly imposed by the HOD would be reversed.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State
Money meant for HOD hotel, accommodation expenses – PRO
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Ekwochi Clifford, while acknowledging the increment, said the N20,900 added to the N30,000 induction fee stipulated by the board would be used for travel expenses of the HOD for the induction activities.
Clifford explained, “You know that for an institution to carry out necessary functions, there are some expenses the institution has to make. When they (inductees) are done making that payment, the HOD has to travel to and from Abuja. There is hotel accommodation and other expenses.
“The school has to bear the cost of those expenses. So, where do you think the school will get the money to cover those expenses? This is the reason the N20,900 was added to the N30,000 stipulated by the Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria for the induction.
“The actual amount from the board is N30,000. The N20,900 added to it is for the expenses to be incurred by the college because the HOD has to travel to Abuja and it is not by road as the road is not safe anymore. Now you talk about hotel accommodation and other miscellaneous expenses. That is the reason for the extra charge.”
Explaining further, Clifford said the N50,900 was an official fee, adding that the school would provide accommodation for those who would be coming from Abuja for the induction, and the college would be providing accommodation, transportation, and feeding for them.
Additional charge unacceptable, unreasonable – Educationists
While Clifford justified the induction fee increment, some educationists condemned it, noting that the hardship in the country is already a burden too much for many.
Describing the additional payment as an act of extortion, the educationists urged the college to abide by the N30,000 fee stipulated by the board.
They also noted that the cost of travel, accommodation, and transportation should be borne by the college and not the fresh graduates who have yet to secure a job.
Condemning the school’s action, the National Coordinator, Concerned Parents and Educators Initiative, Kemi Koleowo, said the Ministry of Education should be involved in the arrangement.
She stated, “Definitely, these students have paid school fees and paid whatever they have been asked to during their time in school. I don’t think there should be an additional burden on them as they are leaving school.
“When the board has mandated them to pay N30,000, I think it is unacceptable and unreasonable for the school authority to now ask them to pay an additional N20,900. That is taking laws into their own hands. It is not proper.
“As an educationist, I frown at this kind of arrangement. It is not the best. These are students who are just coming out of school; they have not started working. A lot of them are self-sponsored, and they don’t have money. We know the economic situation in the country, and a lot of parents can’t even pay their children’s school fees.”
Another educationist and a former principal of King’s College, Lagos, Dele Olapeju, said the school authority should have discussed the cost of the induction and the added cost with the students.
“Who bears the added cost? What is the cost of processing the induction itself? But if they had communicated and discussed well, then it would have been less harmful. But just imposing an arbitrary fee other than the one charged by the regulatory body seems like treating the students like kids.
“Inductees are no longer kids. They are now going into the global market, not even the Nigerian market alone. So they must be informed and allowed to key into or buy into the payment. But in this economy, the N20,900 added cost is too much,” Olapeju said.
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