By Haruna Salami
Prominent sons and daughters of Adamwa state have thrown their weight behind the proposed establishment of Federal Medical Centre, Mubi.
At the public hearing on the Federa Medical Centre, Mubi establishment bill, 2021 organised by the Senate Committee on Health Thursday, serving and former senators, members of the House of Representatives from the state and neighbouring states of Borno and Gombe states, former governors of the state, elders and other stakeholders canvassed for the establishment of the medical centre in Mubi.
The public hearing was sequel to a motion to that effect sponsored by Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Adamawa Central), which passed second reading in the Senate recently.
Speaking in support of the bill, Senator Danjuma Goje from Gombe state who was there on solidarity basis said “the bill has been very popular from the day it was presented to the day it passed second reading”, adding that ” Mubi requires the facility”.
According to the former governor of Gombe state “I have seen all former and present senators and governors of Adamawa state and know that after it’s passage and conference in the House of Representatives, I’m convinced President Buhari will sig it into law”.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mohammed Bello, who is also from Adamawa said the bill presented a unique opportunity to widen the medical space.
Bello said “all across Nigeria we need medical facilites and if the government and any other person want to provide one, we should all support it.
He advised the National Assembly and the executive arms to “work together as it is our people that will benefit”.
Former Governor of Borno state and Senator representing Borno central said establishment of FMC, Mubi is justifiable as it will benefit neighbouring Borno state, especially Chibok, Askira/Uba and Geoza local government areas, which are closer to Mubi than Maiduguri the Borno state capital.
Another prominent son of Adamawa, Professor Iya Abubakar who fully endorsed the bill said the area called Adamawa today (Sardauna province)had the opportunity to either join Cameron, Nigeria or even be a sovereign nation under the United Nations, but the love of Nigeria, particularly what Sardauna was doing for them made them opt to be part of Nigeria.
He said, regretably Sardauna didn’t live long, making Mubi in Sardauna province out of all the 13 former provincial headquarters the only one that has no FMC or something even better.
Former Governors of the state, Bala Nggilari, Bindo Jibrilla, former Senator Binta Garba, Prof. Barau Barkindo, Hon. Jaafaru, NMA President, etc all spoke in favour of the bill.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, representing Minister of Health, who tried to raise policy of government that may serve as obstacle was bluntly told by Kashim Shettima that “Federal Ministry of Health cannot dictate to us how to run this country” adding “we are the agenda setters, and we want to say we want FMC, Mubi”.
