The Nursing and Midwifery Council of the United Kingdom has notified 512 registered nurses that they are being probed for illegally obtaining their registration.

The council said Friday that there is a high probability that the Nigerians committed fraud in obtaining their credentials.

According to the statement by the Council, to make sure internationally educated professionals have the right knowledge and skills to provide high-quality care in the UK, they must take a two-part test of competence before joining our register: a computer-based test (CBT) usually sat in their home country, and a practical test (OSCE) in the UK.

An organization called Pearson VUE runs the CBT program on the NMC’s behalf.

The Council said they were recently alerted to anomalous data “at one of its third-party CBT test centers in Ibadan, Nigeria. Pearson VUE stopped testing at this center immediately.”

“A total of 512 people on our register (around five percent of all the professionals on our register who qualified in Nigeria) took their CBT at this test center. We’re writing to them to set out what’s happened, and to tell them we’re opening cases to determine whether or not they gained fraudulent or incorrect entry to the register.

“More people have applied to join the register but are not yet on it, therefore they can’t practice as a nurse or midwife. We’ve paused their applications. We’re writing to these applicants to ask them to retake the test, and to request more information that we’ll use to make a final decision about their application.

“Our paramount concern is to maintain the integrity of the register to protect the public. At the same time, it’s critical we approach any investigations about individuals objectively and transparently, avoiding any unfair discrimination,” the Council said.

The Council said Pearson VUE has reviewed all data relating to the NMC’s CBT from every test site globally, and there is no evidence of similar activity at any other site.

According to Andrea Sutcliffe, NMC Chief Executive and Registrar, “data from one test site in Nigeria is unusual and concerning. We have regulatory processes which we will now follow, and if necessary, we can refuse registration or remove people from our register, to protect the public and people who use health and care services.

“We know the public and people who use services may find this worrying. This affects just over 500 out of the 771,445 professionals on our register. They will all have passed the practical test in this country before they were accepted onto the register and to date no concerns have been referred to us about their fitness to practice.

“We should remember that thousands of nurses and midwives who were educated overseas have safely joined our register recently and continue to provide safe, effective and kind care across the UK.”

The NMC uses a Test of Competence (ToC) to assess the skills and knowledge of people applying to join our register from overseas.

This has two main parts: a multiple-choice computer-based test known as the CBT which applicants usually sit in their home country; and a practical test known as the OSCE which people take in the UK.

The CBT is split into two parts: Part A covers numeracy, and Part B covers clinical questions for nursing or midwifery.

A company called Pearson VUE runs the CBT. They’ve been the NMC’s test provider since 2014, when we introduced the test.

A total of 1,970 candidates took their CBT at this center, of whom 512 are on the NMC register.

Pearson VUE immediately suspended tests at the Ibadan center. The NMC has since been working urgently with them to examine data and evidence about this. The NMC is also scrutinizing the full applications of those who have joined the register.

The NMC said it is writing to some applicants and professionals on their register to set out what’s happened and what it means for them. The NMC is also opening some cases to determine whether individuals gained fraudulent or incorrect entry to the register.

Sutcliffe said the NMC is giving the nurses involved the option to retake the test “and our test provider is covering the candidate exam fee costs.

“The NMC can’t make people resit – it will be their decision. If somebody does retake and passes, it won’t guarantee that they’ll gain entry to the register or be able to stay on it, but it will form part of the information the NMC will use to make a final decision.

“The NMC will consider the need for interim orders on an evidenced basis as part of each case we’re opening to determine whether or not individuals gained incorrect or fraudulent entry to the register.

“We’re looking into concerns and if necessary to manage risk, we can apply to panels to restrict individuals’ practice.”

The NMC confirmed that at this stage, “no fitness to practice concerns have been raised about anyone on the register in this group. But clearly, if someone has gained entry to the register incorrectly or fraudulently then the NMC will need to take action.

She said the NMC is approaching investigations about individuals objectively and transparently, avoiding any unfair discrimination.

“It has not yet made any determinations about individuals. Unless the NMC decide there is sufficient evidence to seek an interim suspension order, individuals will be able to continue to work,” she added.

Until a few years ago, if you needed a visa to travel to Nigeria, you did what you would do if you were looking for a visa to most countries – you went to the Embassy or Consulate in your home country.

That is until someone in Nigeria’s interior ministry realized that visa issuance was a way to make huge sums of money.

Today if you need a Nigerian visa, you went through a private company owned by Mahmood Ahmadu. The company is Online Integrated Solutions (OIS) and the Nigerian government appointed them as the sole entity with the authority to issue Nigerian visas worldwide.

Earlier today, The Nigerian Community learnt the Nigerian government-appointed company is facing charges of fraud and money laundering in Nigeria.

According to media reports, Mr. Ahmadu along with three others including former Nigerian Interior Minister Abba Moro, is facing charges of fraud and breach of public procurement laws.

All those charged including Mr. Ahmadu have denied all wrongdoing.

Online Integrated Solutions (OIS), states on its website that it is present and conducting business on behalf of the Nigerian Government in 25 major cities across the world in Nigeria, China, Lebanon, UAE, Malaysia, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, USA , France, Germany, UK, India, and Canada.

The company prides itself as “a specialist Nigerian visa and passport application agency” in partnership with diplomatic missions across the world to “expedite hitch-free travel” to global destinations.

The company makes millions of dollars every year working with the Nigerian government to issue visas.

Until a few months ago if you wanted to fly from most cities in United States to Africa, your choices were limited.

The now defunct Nigerian Airways and South African Airways were your two best choices. Or you could fly on one of the European carriers.

Since Nigerian Airways ceased operations a few years ago, most Nigerians were left with flying one of the Middle Eastern or European carriers. There was just one major problem; we faced uncomfortable layovers of 12 hours or longer.

That was then.

Today you can just hop on one of Ethiopian Airlines’ wide-bodied Boeing 787 Dreamliners to Lome, Togo, chill for two hours or so, and head on to your final destination in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, on one of their local sub-Saharan Africa based carriers.

No hassles. No long layovers. End of story!

Who doesn’t like things to be simple and comfortable? We all do, right?

Ethiopian Airlines officials said recently in Houston that their goal is to simplify flying to Africa, lower the cost of going to visit family and friends back home, remove the hassle of long layovers, and just make it all fun.

And we think they may have succeeded!

Sasahulish Laeke Tekelemariam is Ethiopian Airline’s Traffic and Sales Manager in Houston, TX and she said recently that her airline is the “fastest growing airline in Africa and was selected as the best airline in Africa.”

She said a great deal of planning went into establishing the Houston to Lome, Togo route, and the goal was to make it fun to fly.

“Serving Houston has been a work in progress for us for a while,” Tekelemariam said.

“We’ve been working towards launching this route for quite a long time before we started operation back in December 2017.”

“Launching the flight to serve our African community here was a great initiative,” she added.

Besides Houston, Ethiopian Airlines has hubs in Washington, DC., New York and Chicago where they manage five different flights and 22 departures weekly.

The largest airline in Africa recently announced an all female crew for their flights. They said their intention is to ensure a third of their employees are women.

Tewelde Gebremehdin, Ethiopian Airlies’ CEO said the history making all female crew was intentional.

“For the first time in the history of our airline, we have an all female crew, from the engineer to the pilot and flight crew, all women,” he announced recently.

To ensure your flight is not only fun but rewarding, the airline, a part of Star Alliance, ensures you get all the reward due you.

“We are a member of Star Alliance so members of that organization can use their mileage. We also partner with other airlines like United to cover every part of United States,” Tekelemariam, the Airline’s Houston Traffic and Sales Manager, said recently.

So come aboard, relax, settle in and enjoy your flight. Oh, if you happen to see a crew member, wave and say hello. You’ll probably get a big, bright smile, and hello, back.