- Senate passes bills to establish Medical Centres, Chartered Risk Management Institute, amend Teaching Hospitals Act
The Senate has received the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, forwarded to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari, for consideration and passage.
The bill was accompanied by a letter dated 17th June, 2022.
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The letter, addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, was read during plenary on Tuesday.
President Buhari, in the letter, explained that the expeditious consideration and passage of the bill would promote the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
It reads, “Pursuant to Sections 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I forward herewith the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provision) Bill 2022 for the kind consideration of the Senate.
“Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provision) Bill 2022 seeks to promote the war of doing business in Nigeria by amending relevant legislation.
“While hoping that this submission will receive the usual expeditious consideration of the Senate, please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
Senate passes bills to establish Medical Centres in 4 states, amend Teaching Hospitals Act
The Senate, on Tuesday, passed four bills to establish Federal Medical Centres in four states of the federation.
The medical centers will be established in Osogbo, Osun State; Onitsha, Anambra State; Gada, Sokoto State; and Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, respectively.
The passage of the bills to establish the Medical Centres followed the consideration of four separate reports by the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central), in his presentations, said the Centres would be equipped with facilities for diagnostic treatment and rehabilitation at the tertiary levels.
According to him, they would also serve as Centres for training of health professionals and conduct advance health research.
In a related development, the Senate, on Tuesday, passed a bill to amend the Teaching Hospitals (Reconstitution of Boards, etc.) Act 2004.
Oloriegbe, in a separate presentation on a report by the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), explained that the amendment to the Teaching Hospitals Act, seeks to give full legislative recognition to the Federal University Lokoja Teaching Hospital.
“Mr. President and Distinguished Colleagues, every Institution needs to be backed by an enabling law.
“It is against this background that this bill is before the chamber.
“As at today, training facilities in the health sector are inadequate for the current population and projected population growth for Nigeria, currently out at 3 percent per annum.
“Therefore, establishing the Federal University Lokoja Teaching Hospital will address this gap among others”, Oloriegbe explained.
He added that the bill seeks to amend the First Schedule to the Principal Act to include the Federal University Lokoja Teaching Hospital.
“By this amendment, it creates a legal backing for the Federal University Lokoja Teaching Hospital”, he said.
The four bills to establish the Federal Medicam Centres, and the Bill to amend the Teaching Hospitals Act 2004, were all passed by the chamber during plenary, after a clause-by-clause consideration by the Committee of the Whole.
Senate passes bill to establish Chartered Risk Management Institute
The Senate, on Tuesday, passed a bill to provide the legal framework for the establishment of the Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria.
The passage of the bill was sequel to the consideration of a report on it by the Committee on Establishment and Public Service.
Senator Orker Jev, in a presentation on behalf of the Committee Chairman, Ibrahim Shekarau, who was absent during plenary, said the Chartered Risk Management Institute, upon its establishment, would regulate, control and manage the risk management profession in Nigeria.
He explained that the establishment of the institution would, in no small measure, boost and entrench risk management culture in both public and private sectors, as well as reduce risk factors embedded in everyday life.
According to him, “the establishment of the Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria will improve the overall risk consciousness of the nation by means of public education, seminars and workshops.”
“Existence of a Chartered Risk Management Institute will provide effective oversight and sharing of Information on risk management matters and tools that promote good practice among members”, he added.
The bill was passed after a clause-by-clause consideration by the Committee of the Whole.
