By Ken Afor
Nearly three months after the supposed closure of the admission process for new students into the four Colleges of Nursing Sciences in Delta State for the 2023/2025 academic session, illegal backdoor admissions continue unabated.
According to reports, these admissions are allegedly facilitated by some dubious officials from the Commissioner of Health’s office, and aided by a few unscrupulous administrative staff in the Colleges.
The entrance examination into the four Colleges of Nursing Sciences in Asaba, Agbor, Warri, and Sapele took place approximately four months ago. Each of the Colleges was expected to offer admission to a maximum of 250 students.
However, reports reveal that the process was hijacked by a Personal Assistant (PA) to the Commissioner of Health and certain ‘selected’ past and present officials of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives (NAN&M), Delta State chapter.
These individuals reportedly deliberately denied admission to over 90% of the applicants, to pave the way for extortion from desperate candidates seeking admission.
It was alleged that while 800 applicants wrote the entrance examination in each of the Colleges, only a small fraction of them were admitted.
Reports further reveal that the alleged gang of racketeers, who hijacked the admission process, coerced candidates to pay between N500,000 and N1 million each, to secure admissions for the over 90% of candidates, who were classified as having failed the exam.
This illegal backdoor admission process allowed them to admit students, who could afford the hefty fees.
The reports note that the for College of Nursing Science, Agbor: Out of 800 candidates who wrote the entrance exam, only 36 passed on merit.
Also, for College of Nursing Sciences, Warri: 800 candidates sat for the entrance exam, but only 40 passed with merit.
While for College of Nursing Sciences, Eku: 700 candidates took the exam, and only 41 passed with merit.
Agbor has admitted 200 students, Warri has admitted 150, and Eku has admitted about 100 students. They are still admitting more students who can afford the illegal offer, the report notes.
“Admission to Delta State Colleges of Nursing Sciences is now for the highest bidder. It is cash and carry. It has been so politicised such that even those who did not write the exam were given admission, as long as their parents can afford to cough out millions of naira.
“Our fear is that in the nearest future, with the calibre of students who have been given admission now, and the level of corruption being perpetrated by administrative officials of the Colleges, aided by some Ministry officials, Delta State will be turning out half-baked Nurses and Midwives.
“This is a threat to the Health Care Delivery policy of the Delta State Government,” an anonymous group of frustrated administrative staff of one of the Colleges stated.
Furthermore, it was gathered that the new Director of Nursing Services, Mrs. Mercy Atikpo, who was reportedly sidelined from the admission process, has expressed frustration over the manner in which officials from the Commissioner’s office, along with some alleged corrupt officials of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives (NAN&M), Delta State chapter, have commercialised the process of admitting new nursing students in the state.
“More worrisome in recent times was the said derogative attitude of the chairman of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives (NAN&M) Delta State, and her predecessor, Mrs. Philomena Onokpuvie and Mrs Alice Jegede, respectively, who have turned Academic Staff of the Colleges of Nursing Sciences, working hand-in-hand with key officials in the Health Commissioner’s office, to conduct Entrance Examination and admit students into these schools, sidelining the Director of Nursing Sciences and the academic staff.
“The Commissioner cannot claim not to be aware of all the rot going on in the schools,” concerned staff of one of the colleges volunteered to the press.
When contacted on phone about the development in the State Colleges of Nursing Sciences, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, expressed surprise, saying, “I would investigate.”
