Two bills seeking to establish federal universities in Ekiti and Nasarawa states has been passed on Tuesday by the Senate.
The bill sponsored by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele of the APC representing Ekiti Central proposed Federal University of Heath and Medical Sciences, Iyin, Ekiti State (Establishment Bill, 2021, while Senator Tanko Al-Makura (APC, Nasarawa South) sponsored the bill for the Federal University Lafia Teaching Hospital (Establishment) Bill, 2021.
The approval of both bills followed the presentation and consideration of two separate reports by the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).
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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 resident.”
Oloriegbe also stated that 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.
In a related development, 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 further 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.
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).
After the bill was considered, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan referred it to the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND. The Committee which was chaired by Senator Ahmad Baba Kaita is expected to report back to the upper chamber in four weeks.
