The National Association of Public Health Practitioners of Nigeria has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), over what its described as impersonation of its duties by the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria.
The petition signed by the association’s Public Relations Officer, Ufana, Peter Ojeka, is seeking the intervention in an alleged criminal conspiracy, obtaining under false pretense and impersonation against the association.
Meanwhile, the association’s National Vice Chairman, Akinwunmi Samuel, in an interview with Blueprint, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to sign the Public Health Council Bill into law.
He stated that the bill when passed into law will address grey areas affecting the public health sector, and guarantee proper regulation of the public health profession in the country.
He further disclosed that the bill titled, HB 1236: Public Health Council Of Nigeria Bill, 2021, scaled third reading at the National Assembly in 2022, and has been re-introduced in the 10th Assembly.
He however, lamented that the sector is under threat, alleging that the Nigerian Environmental Health Council is trying to upsurge it’s responsibilities.
“As representatives of the National Association of Public Health Practitioners of Nigeria, we have been compelled to speak out against the blatant misuse of power by the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria.
“Over the past years, we have witnessed a systematic attempt by the Environment Health Council of Nigeria to subjugate our independence, undermine our authority and disregard the right of association of members by using its influence to intimidate, coerce, and manipulate our corporate members, to gain control over our decision-making process.
“This has most recently resulted in the burnt down of our member’s institution, the Katsina State College of Health Technology, Jegga.
“It is surprising and now painfully, that a supposed honourable Council like Environmental Health has perfected the art and the act of merchandise to the point of abandoning its aims and objectives at the Federal Ministry of Environment where we have myriads of environmental problems such as environmental pollution, poor sanitation controls that threatened public safety to overreach into domains beyond its mandate.
“We, therefore pray that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should please grant urgent legislative reforms to strengthen the country’s Public Health Security and emergency management, preparedness and response plan by granting presidential assent to our bill or give directives on accelerated hearings of our re-introduced bill at the National Assembly to ensure adequate regulations of Public Health Profession in Nigeria.
“Prevail on the Office of the Civil Service Commission to create a cadre for public health professionals in Nigeria. Mandate the Environmental Health Council to focus on its mandate at the Federal Ministry of Environment and stop encroaching into regulating Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health”, he said.
