Nursing Council: Protesting students block Enugu Psychiatric Hospital with coffin

Protesting students of the School of Basic Psychiatry and Nursing, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, on Tuesday, barricaded the institution’s entrance with a coffin.

The nursing students were protesting the failure of the Hospital to register them for the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria examination, after they had paid requisite fees.

It was reported that the angry students caused a stir as they carried a mock coffin against the Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr. Jojo Onwukwe and the officer in charge of training in the hospital, Mr. Andrew Onowigwe.

After a procession round the hospital, they placed the coffin at the entrance gate preventing people from either going in or out of the Hospital.

President of the Students’ Union Government, Amadi Chisom accused the Hospital management of frustrating their future.

“Apart from our school fees, we paid N41,000 for this examination and we have been in discussion with Mr. Andrew, who claimed they have registered us for the examination.

“But to our chagrin, we discovered that they did not pay anything to them. As we speak, the exam has started across the country but we have been abandoned to our fate.

“We are not going to take this lightly, what we are talking about here is a year and 8 months. Some of us left their work places this period on a study leave. What are they going back with now?” She queried.

Also speaking, one of the affected nurses, Charity Eze, a staff of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, said she was in shock and confusion.

She said, “I was sent here from the UNTH and I am supposed to resume work on the 12th of this month. They are expecting me to come back with the certificate. So, what story am I going to tell them now.”

Our correspondent reports that no member of the Hospital management team addressed the protesters.

This is also as calls put across to both the CMD and Mr. Andrew were not responded to.