Health Colleges Urge Tinubu to Lift 7-Year Moratorium on New Institutions
The Association of Provosts of Colleges of Health Technology and Nursing Sciences has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to reconsider the seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new tertiary institutions.
The association said the policy should be reviewed, particularly where it affects Colleges of Health Technology and Nursing Sciences that had already begun the accreditation process with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) before the moratorium took effect.
The provosts made the appeal while congratulating Professor Babatunde Salako on his appointment as Chairman of the Governing Board of the NBTE.
In a statement signed by the association’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Nuhu Solomon Anyegwu, and its Chairman, Dr Johnson Adebayo Ojo, the group described Salako’s appointment as timely and significant for the technical education sector.
Provosts welcome new NBTE governing board
The association said the inauguration of the new NBTE governing board was particularly important because the agency had operated for more than five years without a functional governing board.
According to the provosts, the return of a substantive governing structure could strengthen the regulation and development of technical and vocational education in Nigeria.
They expressed confidence in Salako’s leadership and said his appointment came at a crucial period for institutions seeking to train more skilled professionals.
Group asks Tinubu to review seven-year moratorium
A major concern raised by the association was the Federal Government’s seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new tertiary institutions.
The provosts argued that the policy should not prevent institutions that had already commenced the NBTE accreditation process before the moratorium from completing the exercise.
They called for an exemption that would allow such institutions to conclude their accreditation requirements rather than being forced to suspend the process indefinitely.
The association said a blanket application of the policy could have consequences for the country’s healthcare workforce.
Health worker shortage raises concerns
The provosts warned that restricting the establishment and accreditation of health training institutions could contribute to Nigeria’s shortage of healthcare professionals.
They linked the concern to the continuing loss of skilled workers from the country, commonly described as brain drain.
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According to the association, reducing opportunities for training healthcare personnel could further weaken the availability of qualified workers, particularly in underserved communities.
The group argued that rural and grassroots populations could be disproportionately affected if the supply of trained health professionals continues to decline.
Call for accessible accreditation process
The association therefore urged the Federal Government to create an exemption for institutions that had already started their accreditation journey before the moratorium.
It also called for an accreditation framework that would allow eligible Colleges of Health Technology and Nursing Sciences to complete the necessary requirements under NBTE regulations.
The provosts maintained that expanding access to quality health education is important to building a stronger healthcare workforce and addressing manpower gaps across the country.
Salako’s appointment welcomed
Beyond the moratorium issue, the association expressed optimism about Salako’s appointment as chairman of the NBTE governing board.
The group said it was pleased with his emergence and looked forward to his leadership of the newly constituted board.
The association believes the board can help strengthen technical education regulation while addressing challenges confronting institutions responsible for producing skilled personnel.
It also expressed confidence that the new leadership would engage stakeholders and consider concerns affecting Colleges of Health Technology and Nursing Sciences.
The appeal comes amid broader concerns about Nigeria’s healthcare workforce, including the shortage of trained professionals and the continued migration of skilled workers abroad.
