Nation
Speaker Assures On Public Health Securities Bill
Residents of Enugu State have been assured of speedy passage of the proposed Enugu State Public Health Securities Bill, anytime the final draft of the bill is ready.
Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Edward Ubosi, gave the assurance in Enugu, weekend, at a two-day Retreat on the Importance of the Proposed Enugu State Public Health Securities.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Chief Uchenna Ugwu, Ubosi said the retreat was organised by the Enugu State House of Assembly in collaboration with African Centre for Entrepreneurship and Information to Development (ACEIDEV) and Resolve to Save Lives.
He expressed happiness that the retreat to address the proposed Enugu State Public Health Securities Bill was coming at the appropriate time.
The Speaker said the bill would solve lots of teething health issues in the state, especially legal issues in administration of public health securities and public health emergencies meant for the safety of the residents.
His words: “It is a very good one and it will benefit all stakeholders in the health sector. It will help the state and her residents to easily tackle public health emergencies for over all public good”.
Ubosi further promised that when the draft of the document (bill) is out, probably as an Executive Bill, it would be given accelerated hearing and attention on the floor of the house.
Speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Chief Sam Ngene, said at the end of the retreat, the committee members must have been fit and able to do justice to the proposed bill.
According to him, “this retreat will give each member the leverage to understand and key into the need for the bill and once it is presented to the house it will go through smoothly and timely.
“The bill will take care of all public health emergency situations that might arise as well as related issues.
“I must thank our partners – ACEIDEV and Resolve to Save Lives – for their technical support meant to help us come out with a bill that will last the test of time and truly serve our people”.
The chairman, however, revealed that during the COVID-19 in the state; the state was prepared in terms of manpower, medical provisions and logistics but “the state lacked the legal framework to act on public health emergencies”.
In an address, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, said that the proposed bill, when passed and signed into law, would help to fill the loopholes in the existing public health laws in the state.
Obi, who was represented by the State Director of Public Health, Dr Boniface Okolo, said the proposed bill would allow health professionals and authorities to carry out their duties effectively and efficiently for public good.
“The bill will put everybody on the same page; especially on how to carry out public health emergencies during unannounced health emergencies such as COVID-19 and other eventual disease outbreaks”.
The Executive Director of ACEIDEV, Mr James Ugochukwu, said the proposed bill would help to strengthen the process as well as the power of the state to take charge of emergency public health securities and situations.
By: Canice Amadi, Enugu
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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