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Laying the Committee report before the House plenary
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State House of Assembly on Wednesday during its plenary, passed into law, the Bill for a law to establish Bauchi State Infrastructure Development Agency Law 2021.
The passage of the bill into followed the report of the House Committee on Works and Transport on a Bill for a law to establish Bauchi State Infrastructure Development Agency Law 2021 which was laid by the Chairman of the Committee, Yusuf Inuwa Dadiye representing Ganjuwa West Constituency.
The Committee had recommended for the inclusion of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in addition to National Road Transport Owners (NARTO) in the establishment of the Board members of the Agency.
After the House adopted the recommendations of the Committee, the Majority Leader of the House, Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu moved that the Bill should be allowed to undergo third reading.
Upon approval by the Members, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to carryout the third reading.
Also during the plenary, Chairman House Committee on Health and Human Services, Bello Sarkin Jadori requested the House to allow a Bill for a Law to establish the Bauchi State Private Health Institutions Management Agency and for connected therewith to undergo first reading and was seconded by Saleh Hodi Jibir.
Upon approval by the Members, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital to carryout the first reading.
Leading debate on the Bill, Bello Sarkin Jadori explained that in July last year, the Chairman House Committee on Education, Babayo Muhammad had moved a motion calling on the State Government to regulate the proliferation of illegal private NCE awarding institutions in the State.
He added that based on that, the House resolved and mandated its joint Committees of Education and Health to investigate the matter in both education and health sectors and come up with solution that will curb the situation.
According to him, it was based on that the Bill came up and when enacted into law an Agency will be established that will be charged with the responsibility of registration, inspections and regulating the activities of all private health institutions in the State.
Bello Sarkin Jadori added that based on the provision of the law, it is illegal for any company to set up or conduct a private health establishment unless such health establishment has also been duly registered by the Bauchi State Government and the Agency.
He also said that its agents may at any time enter any private hospital or any health establishment for the purpose of inspection and may require to be produced to it all or any of the records, log books and other documents required to be kept under the provision of the law
The Law also provided that the health professionals in charge or their respective representatives shall take such steps as may be necessary to facilitate the inspection of the facility, the Agency shall inspect such private health establishment at least twice a year.
The Agency shall have powers to cancel or suspend the registration of any private health establishment that violate any of the provision of the law when enacted and the health professional concern with the private health establishment or his name has been removed from the register of the appropriate professional body.
The lawmaker also stated that the main aim for establishment of the Agency is born out of the desire to instill sanity in healthcare delivery in the private sector and to ensure that standards are followed in the establishment of private health institutions such as hospitals, clinics, maternity homes, nursing homes, radio-diagnostic/imaging centres, medical laboratories, pharmaceutical services, physiotherapy centres, traditional/alternative medicare centres, etc.
The Member therefore moved that the House should allow the Bill to undergo second reading and was seconded by Sabo Bako Sade representing Sade Constituency.
After the House approved the motion, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to carryout the second reading.
The House referred the Bill to the House Committee on Health and Human Services for further legislative action and the Committee was given four weeks to submit its report.
