The Member representing Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal Constituency of Kogi State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdullahi Halims on Thursday lamented the total lack of a federally owned health facility in the whole of Igala land, Eastern Senatorial Zone of Kogi.
The lawmaker who called for the support of his colleagues for a Bill seeking the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Ankpa Local Government of Kogi was addressing participants on day-2 of a public hearing organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Health Care Institutions.
He said as a representative of the people who understands the needs, and who feels their pains with regards to health care services, he came up with the Bill to correct an anomaly that has become the lot of his people for decades.
According to him, having a medical centre in Ankpa would help to ameliorate the challenges of the people.
He said the creation of the FMC will further enhance the healthcare delivery systems available to the people, adding that the local government already has facilities in the zonal hospital which was formerly a general hospital.
The lawmaker stressed the need to have at least the first Federally owned health facility in Kogi East as the entirety of Igala nation has no single secondary or tertiary health institution built by the Federal government.
He, therefore, called on the Federal Ministry of Health to consider the Bill as necessary and important to the equitable distribution of health infrastructure in Nigeria.
Representatives from the Rano Emirate of Kano State led by the Emir, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammed Inuwa also made a passionate appeal for the support of a Bill seeking the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Rano.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Pascal Obi commended the participants for their efforts at coming to make their voices counted in the legislative process of enacting very important laws for the benefit of Nigerians.
He assured stakeholders of due diligence, saying that every concern raised in their memoranda would be carefully and painstakingly looked into, with a view to making very informed recommendations to the House for consideration.
The hearing which commenced on Wednesday looked at a total of 12 establishment Bills seeking the creation of the medical centre and colleges of Nursing, Health Sciences, as well as Health Development Trust Fund.
