Abia State Government Announces Cancellation of Student Nurses' Exam Amid Allegations of Wrongdoing

In a recent development, the Abia State Government has taken the unprecedented step of canceling the Preliminary Test Sessions examination for student nurses in the state. This decision comes in the wake of serious allegations of misconduct against certain individuals involved in the examination process, leading to protests by affected student nurses.

The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, during a press briefing following this week's State Executive Council meeting, chaired by Governor Alex Otti on Tuesday. Kanu emphasized the government's commitment to transparency in all its activities and stated, "In order to show transparency in all its activities, the state government has ordered the cancellation of the result of the last Nursing exams."

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The decision to cancel the exam was based on preliminary findings from a committee established by the government to investigate the allegations. Kanu explained, "As a responsible government, a committee was set up, and the preliminary report of the committee is that the exam be cancelled while investigations continue."

The Commissioner further revealed that there would be a subsequent examination, and the committee would persist in its investigation into the matter. Importantly, Kanu clarified that no individuals have been indicted or arrested in connection with the allegations at this stage.

Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, the Principal Secretary and Chief Strategist to the Governor, provided additional insights into the committee's actions. He stated, "The committee met with all the stakeholders; the students who have petitioned, the leadership of the institutions that were involved. This exam was conducted as CBT, Computer Based Test, and so the vendors who provided the technology were also interviewed by the committee."

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Mba-Uzoukwu highlighted that, after reviewing information from all involved parties, it became evident that the examinations could have been conducted in a manner that would have maintained the expected integrity. The decision to cancel the exam underscores the government's commitment to upholding standards in the education system.

Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, asserted that the government's actions align with Governor Otti's campaign promise to sanitize the system. Ekeoma emphasized that the government would continue to address issues inherited from the previous administration and work towards creating a more transparent and accountable health sector.

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This move by the Abia State Government reflects a proactive approach to addressing allegations of wrongdoing and maintaining the integrity of the education system for aspiring nurses in the state.