TheCable

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) is working closely with the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest proprietors of illegal health institutions and colleges.

Idris Bugaje, executive secretary of NBTE, spoke of the partnership on Thursday in Kaduna during a meeting with provosts and proprietors of health institutions and colleges, as well as registrars of professional bodies in the health sector.

The meeting was to understand the challenges being faced by the proprietors of the institutions.

He said the proprietor of one illegal college was recently arrested after attempting to enrol his graduates in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Bugaji said more operators of illegal institutions are being investigated by the DSS.

Among the challenges being faced, Bugaji said, is the required guarantee deposit of ₦100 million by those seeking to establish health institutions.

He said the sum had been reduced to ₦25 million by the NBTE.

Bugaje, however, expressed concern that there are several illegal health institutions across the country swindling unsuspecting students and giving them unrecognised certificates.

“This is of great concern to all of us. The matter has even reached the table of the DG of DSS, as he has authorised his state directors to take appropriate actions. I won’t mention the states, but there are two states involved,” he said.

“We have also identified some of our staff who are involved in the illegality. Some of them have been suspended.

“One of the illegal institutions gave one of our staff ₦2.5 million to facilitate registration. We have set up a committee to investigate the matter. We have asked the staff to return the money. He has to face the full wrath of the law.”

Bugaji said the NBTE is committed to cleaning the system towards safeguarding the health sector.

“NBTE is determined to weed out all health colleges and institutions that are involved in illegal activities,” he added.