The Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, has officially prohibited its staff from engaging in cryptocurrency trading during work hours. This was announced in a circular dated September 18, 2024, signed by the hospital’s Deputy Director of Administration, Adamu Tela.
The decision reportedly follows several complaints from patients and their relatives, who complained that staff members were distracted by cryptocurrency activities. The hospital management emphasised that these activities interfere with staff responsibilities and lead to lapses in care.
The circular warned all staff to stop mining or trading crypto while on duty. Tela added that strict actions, in line with Public Service Rules, would be taken against defaulters. To ensure compliance, the hospital has deployed monitoring officers from SERVICOM, ACTU, and security teams.
Cryptocurrency trading has grown in popularity in Nigeria amid economic hardships, with many turning to “tapping” on mobile phones to earn digital tokens. Popular crypto mining games include Dogs, TapSwap, Blum and Hamster – all of which have become rampant. The Gombe hospital management has, however, made it clear that such activities have no place during work hours.
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