By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Plateau State Council has appeal to the State Government to lift the embargo on the employment of Nurses in the State to cushion the “emotional and psychological stress” nurses are passing in the North-Eastern part of the country.
The Nurses also said base on their findings quite a number of nurses working as aid workers in the North-East are citizens of the Plateau state.
The Union disclosed this while addressing journalists in Jos the State Capital, through its State Chairman, Comrade Briskila Dabit, over the recent abduction of one Miss Jennifer Samuel Ukambong (a Nurse) by Boko Haram terrorist in Borno State.
It would be recalled that Miss Jennifer Samuel Ukambong was on 22nd December, 2019, abducted by insurgents along Monguno-Maiduguri road, in Borno State.
Dabit said, “As a professional body responsible for the welfare and wellbeing of all Nurses, we wish to call on the Governor of Plateau State to use his exalted office as the chairman Northern Governors Forum to secure the unconditional release of Nurse Jennifer Samuel Ukambong as well as other citizens who are also in captivity.
“According to our findings, quite a number of the aid workers in the North-East are either citizens of Plateau State or schooled in our dear state.
The Union said recently it received a delegation of Jennifer Ukambong’s colleagues and classmates in its Secretariat, “lamenting how they usually feel unsafe working in the North-East.
She added that, “At the same time, we are aware that plans have been underway since last year to recruit Nurses in Plateau State; we are appealing to Government to expidite action and avail this opportunity for our teeming applicants.
The chairman maintained that if employment opportunities were given to the Nurses in the state they wouldn’t have been taking the risk to go and work in North-East.
“As a listening Governor, we believe Governor Simon Bako Lalong will look into the issues raised and give directives for recruitment in a bit to cushioning the emotional and psychological stress our colleagues are passing through in the North-East.
While calling on all relevant authorities to see to the release of Miss Ukambong and other captives, “We charge the Federal Government to provide adequate security to aid workers that are rendering humanitarian services in the North-East and other parts of the country”, the Union stressed.
The Union commended the efforts of both members of the National and State Assemblies and all other citizens who have shown concern about the victim.
