Establishment Of Federal University And Teaching Hospital - Senate
The Senate on Tuesday passed two bills seeking to establish two federal universities in Ekiti and Nasarawa states.
The bills are the Federal University of Health and Medical Sciences Iyin, Ekiti State (Establishment), and Federal University Lafia Teaching Hospital (Establishment).
Both bills were sponsored by Senators Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), and Tanko Al-Makura (APC, Nasarawa South).
“The passage of both bills followed the presentation and consideration of two separate reports by the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).”
In his presentation, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central), said the bill to establish the Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital was “necessitated as a result of the precarious health conditions faced by residents.”
According to him, the bill to establish the Federal University of Health and Medical Sciences Iyin, Ekiti State, seeks to promote and emphasize teaching, research and extension of knowledge in the field of medicine and environmental sciences.
However, the Senate on Wednesday passed a third bill to amend the University Teaching Hospitals (Reconstitution of Boards) Act.
The bill’s passage by the upper chamber followed consideration of a report by the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).
Oloriegbe, in his presentation, explained that the amendment bill seeks to amend the First Schedule to the Principal Act to include the University Teaching Hospital, Lafia and Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital.
Federal College of Education, Kaiama
In a related development, a bill seeking to establish the Federal College of Education, Kaiama, Kwara State, scaled second reading during plenary.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar (APC, Kwara North).
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after the bill was considered, referred it to the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.
The Committee which was chaired by Senator Ahmad Baba Kaita was given four weeks to report back to the upper chamber.