The Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW) has declared that the delays in the constitution and inauguration of Nigerian Council for Social Work is undermining the effectively of Social Work profession in the country.
NASoW appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to constitute and inaugurate the Nigerian Council for Social Work without waisting more time.
The association made these declarations on Wednesday in an open letter signed by its National President, Alhaji Mashood Mustapha and addressed to President Tinubu.
The letter which has been submitted at Aso Villa in Abuja was made available to journalists through the National Public Relations Officer of the association, Musliudeen Adebayo.
Mustapha in the letter titled “Open Letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the Urgent Need to Constitute the Nigerian Council for Social Work” said social workers in the country are concerned by this delay, which has left the profession without necessary oversight and regulation, risking its integrity and effectiveness.
He used the opportunity to appeal to Tinubu to expedite action on the constitution and inauguration of the Nigerian Council for Social Work.
Mustapha while speaking further, urged Tinubu to address these irregularities and ensure that only qualified professionals, in line with the legal framework, are entrusted with this important task.
He said that it is essential that the council, as a government agency, be led by qualified professional social workers who possess the expertise and understanding required for its governance, adding that NASoW members are committed to upholding the integrity of the profession.
The letter reads “Open Letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the Urgent Need to Constitute the Nigerian
Your Excellency,
On behalf of the entire membership of the Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), the umbrella organization for all social workers in Nigeria, I extend our warmest greetings and express our trust in your leadership. NASoW is the sole national body for professional social workers in Nigeria and it is affiliated with the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), the global governing body for our profession.
Social work plays a critical role in addressing complex social issues, fostering welfare, and ensuring societal well-being. To achieve these objectives effectively, the profession and its practitioners must operate within a regulated framework. Recognizing this need, the Nigerian Council for Social Work (Establishment) Act, 2022 was signed into law by your predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, in December 2022. This Act mandates the creation of the Nigerian Council for Social Work, an essential regulatory body that will uphold the standards of our profession in line with global best practices. Regrettably, despite the passage, this council is yet to be constituted and inaugurated.
The Nigeria Association of Social Workers is concerned by this delay, which has left the profession without necessary oversight and regulation, risking its integrity and effectiveness.
It is essential that the council, as a government agency, be led by qualified professional social workers who possess the expertise and understanding required for its governance. Such leadership is critical to ensure that the council’s actions and policies reflect the values and standards of the profession.
Before leaving office, former President Buhari directed that the council should be under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. However, the council was not constituted prior to his departure, and subsequent developments have added to our concerns. Dr. Betta Edu started the process very well shortly after her appointment, but her suspension occurred when preparation was at an advanced stage for the Constitution.
To our dismay, in the middle of the process by Dr Beta Edu, some staff in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry that kicked against the Nigerian Council for Social Work Bill in 2017 because many of their staff were not trained social workers, wrongly again advised the former Minister, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye to move forward with the council’s constitution in a manner that did not follow established protocols. The Minister has since left her position, yet the same staff in the ministry appear intent on reconstituting the council through the newly appointed Minister for Women Affairs forgetting that that the ministry has no correlation at all with Nigerian Council for Social Work.
It has come to our notice, that staff of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs out of mischief put undue pressure on the National Council for Women’s Societies (NCWS) at the 24th National Council Meeting on Women Affairs held on Monday 28th of October, Tuesday 29th of October, and Wednesday 29th of October 2024 in Jos, Plateau State through a memo to influence this process in favor of the Ministry of Women Affairs, which is totally out of the mandate of the Women’s Council in a deliberate attempt to cause confusion and disaffection among the two new Ministers in the two ministries for their pecuniary interests when it is even very clear that the NCWS has no power under the law to take such executive decision. Such actions not only undermine the profession but violate its standards. As the saying goes, “One cannot shave someone’s head in his absence.”
In light of these circumstances, we humbly appeal to Your Excellency to intervene and prevent any further misdirection by the Ministry of Women Affairs regarding the constitution of this council by allowing the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to complete the simple process in line with the Act.
Social work is both an academic discipline and a practice-based profession that must not be commercialized or misrepresented.
Mr. President, we respectfully request that you leverage your esteemed office to address these irregularities and ensure that only qualified professionals, in line with the legal framework, are entrusted with this important task.
NASoW members are committed to upholding the integrity of our profession. We appeal to Your Excellency to expedite action on the constitution and inauguration of the Nigerian Council for Social Work. Delays in this process risk undermining the effectiveness and credibility of social work in Nigeria.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
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