The Senate is seeking to amend the University Teaching Hospitals (Reconstitution of Boards, etc) Act No..10 1985, so as to include the Federal University Lafia, Teaching Hospital.
This was sequel to the presentation of the lead debate on the general principles of the Bill by the sponsor, Sen. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, at plenary, on Wednesday, during which he noted the Bill was read for the first time in the chamber on Thursday, Feb. 11.
He said that the objective of the Bill was to amend the University Teaching Hospitals (Reconstitution of Boards, Etc) Act No.10 1985, to include an additional Teaching Hospital, the “Federal University Lafia Teaching Hospital and accord it full recognition.
Al-Makura (APC-Nasarawa) and former Governor of Nasarawa State, said that when passed, the proposed amendment would complete all the required legislative enactments to bring the Federal University Lafia Teaching Hospital into full operation.
Supporting the passage of the Bill for second reading, Sen. Stephen Odey (PDP-Cross River) said that as a new university teaching hospital, it was expected that it would be provided with all the facilities and enabling laws that would make it function effectively.
“It is only when the Act is amended and properly passed, that the university will enjoy full-fledged facilities”, he said.
Also, Sen. Barau Jibrin (APC-Kano) commended the Nasarawa State Government for donating a teaching hospital to the Federal University, Lafia.
He said that the right thing to do was to give legal backing as sought by the Bill for the hospital to become operational.
The President of the Senate, thereafter, referred the Bill to the Senate Committee on Health to report back in four weeks.
Meanwhile, three other Bills also passed first reading in the Senate, including; the National Examination Management Commission Bill, 2021 sponsored by Sen. Kabir Barkiya (APC-Katsina).
Others were the Nigeria Salt Development Council Bill, 2021 by Sen. Michael Nnachi (PDP-Ebonyi), and Nigeria Postal Services Bill, 2021 sponsored by Sen. Oluremi Tinubu (APC-Lagos). (NAN)
