Over 1,500 health professionals under the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) have gone unpaid for nearly 20 months, following the Federal Government’s decision to halt funding for certain regulatory agencies.
The Environmental Health Council, established under Act 11 of 2002, is the nation’s primary body for overseeing environmental health regulations and preventing the spread of disease. Despite their critical role in national health emergencies — including the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 — the council is now struggling to meet operational and personnel costs due to budget cuts.
In 2023, a memo from the then Director-General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, signaled the Federal Government’s decision to discontinue funding to professional bodies and councils, with a December 2026 cutoff for most agencies. However, EHCON was among those affected earlier, with its funding discontinued as of 2024.
A list published in early 2024 by the Budget Office confirmed that 26 agencies would be defunded, saving the government an estimated ₦27.72 billion. EHCON, domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Environment, received no allocation in the 2024 budget — unlike 13 other health-related agencies that were later exempted after a successful appeal by the then Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa.
Despite the exemption of the Medical and Dental Council, Pharmacy Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, and others — with over ₦6 billion disbursed to support their salary payments — EHCON was left out due to its classification under the environmental sector.
A letter dated April 30, 2025, and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene. The letter cited a prior Federal Executive Council resolution that recognized the importance of continued funding for health regulatory bodies.
Akume wrote:
“EHCON… received zero allocation in the 2024 budget under the Federal Ministry of Environment… This has led to severe financial hardship for the agency and its staff due to the non-payment of salaries and operational expenses from January to December 2024.”
He emphasized that EHCON’s functions are closely tied to public health and safety, including regulating preventive health practices, sanitation, and environmental disease control. The SGF urged the President to approve the reinstatement of funding for EHCON in light of its crucial public health responsibilities.
As the crisis deepens, affected professionals are reportedly in distress, with many struggling to support their families amid the prolonged salary freeze.
It remains to be seen whether President Tinubu will approve the SGF’s request and rescue the agency from the brink of collapse.
