In a groundbreaking development, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has passed the Federal Medical Centres Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (HB. 799) sponsored by member representing Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North Federal Constituency, Hon. (Dr.) Anthony Adebayo Adepoju.
The Bill was passed by the Senate on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
The Bill by the first-term lawmaker in the House of Representatives, who is the sole sponsor, is aimed at establishing the first-ever Federal Medical Centre in Ibarapa region of Oyo State in order for the people of the geopolitical zone to have access to efficient medical care services.
The Bill which was gazetted and appeared in the journal of the National Assembly of Nigeria on July 18, 2023, was read for the first time on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.
A similar Bill was previously sponsored by Hon. (Dr.) Muraina Ajibola Saubana, a former lawmaker who represented the constituency in the 9th Assembly. The Bill by the former lawmaker with the title Federal Medical Centre Igboora, Oyo State (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (HB.347), having passed by the House of Representatives, was subsequently sponsored by Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Yahaya, Senator Representing Kebbi North Senatorial District of Kebbi State, at the 9th Assembly. The Bill was thereafter passed on May 10, 2022, but failed to receive the presidential assent of the former president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.
The development made Hon. Adepoju, upon assuming office, to reinitiate the Bill from scratch, which he had persistently followed up through debates and resources since 2023.
Commenting on the latest development, Hon. Adepoju expressed his sincere gratitude to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for concurring to the Bill which was passed by the House of Representatives early this year, having scaled the first, second and third readings in the House of Representatives.
Hon. Adepoju also appreciated the Senate Leader, Sen. Bamidele Michael Opeyemi, representing Ekiti Central, for taking up the Bill as the sponsor in the Senate being the House Leader which is the tradition of the National Assembly.
Ibarapakan stated that the next step is the transmission of the Bill to the President for Presidential Assent for it to become a law.
Hon. Adepoju expressed confidence in the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s speedy assent. The lawmaker reiterated that he would closely follow the Bill as done in the two chambers of the National Assembly to the Presidency, congratulating the people of Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North for the success of the Bill thus far.
The recent development makes Hon. Adebayo Adepoju the first lawmaker from Oyo State whose Bill has received the Senate concurrence and therefore on its way to the President for his assent.
