‎Restoring Hope in Health Education: Gov Eno’s Bold Steps at Reform

‎Restoring Hope in Health Education: Gov Eno’s Bold Steps at Reform
‎
‎By Lucy Daniel
‎
‎In an era when public confidence in governance often wavers, the recent resolution of the indexing crisis at the Akwa Ibom State College of Nursing stands out as a powerful reminder that leadership still matters, especially when it is decisive, compassionate, and focused on people rather than politics.
‎
‎For nearly two years, 275 nursing students in Akwa Ibom lived in uncertainty. Their dreams of becoming registered nurses were caught in bureaucratic limbo, trapped between a regulatory transition and administrative bottlenecks. The upgrade of the School of Nursing to a College,  a progressive step in itself, had inadvertently stalled their indexing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). Without indexing, these students could not sit for professional examinations, meaning their years of hard work risked going to waste.
‎
‎But that chapter has finally closed.
‎Thanks to the swift intervention of Governor Umo Eno and the coordinated efforts of the State Ministry of Health, led by Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, the Nursing and Midwifery Council has now approved the long-awaited indexing of all 275 affected students. Even more promising, the Council has increased the College’s annual admission quota by an additional 150 students, a clear vote of confidence in the state’s commitment to healthcare education.
‎
‎This development is not just administrative; it is profoundly human. It is about young men and women who can now breathe again, who can now look forward to serving in hospitals, clinics, and communities that desperately need them. It is about parents who sacrificed everything to see their children educated. It is about the restoration of faith, in government, in process, and in the promise of a better future.
‎
‎Governor Eno’s hands-on leadership in resolving this issue deserves commendation. Rather than deflect blame or allow the matter to linger in red tape, he acted decisively, directing the Ministry of Health to engage both the College management and the NMCN to find a lasting solution. The outcome has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the ARISE Agenda, particularly the State of Emergency on the Health Sector, which aims to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, build human capacity, and ensure equitable access to quality medical services across Akwa Ibom.
‎
‎In a country where healthcare delivery often suffers from brain drain, underfunding, and inadequate training facilities, Akwa Ibom’s investment in its nursing education system sends a powerful message. It shows that reform is possible. It shows that when government and regulatory institutions work hand-in-hand, challenges that once seemed insurmountable can be overcome.
‎
‎The indexing approval also has a ripple effect. By expanding the College’s admission quota, the state is directly addressing the shortage of trained health personnel, a challenge that continues to burden Nigeria’s healthcare system. Every additional nurse trained in Akwa Ibom means another life potentially saved in a rural clinic, another mother safely delivered, another community empowered through quality care.
‎
‎For the newly indexed students, this is a moment of triumph. Their resilience in the face of uncertainty is commendable. And for the government, this moment offers a lesson in the power of empathy-driven governance, the kind that listens, acts, and delivers.
‎
‎Healthcare is the backbone of any thriving society. Akwa Ibom’s decisive step in resolving the College of Nursing impasse shows that the state is not just talking about reform, it is living it. The future of healthcare in the state looks brighter because the leadership chose to act when it mattered most.
‎
‎And in a country yearning for examples of public service done right, Akwa Ibom has quietly set a new standard.
‎
‎Daniel, SA to the Governor on Media
‎writes from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
‎providencemaga@yahoo.com.
‎