The Senate has moved to establish a Federal Medical Center in Okigwe, Imo State.
The move followed a Bill to establish the Federal Medical Center in Okigwe, Imo State, sponsored by Senator Frank Ibezim (APC, Imo North).
Arguing on the Bill which scaled first reading in the Senate on Tuesday, the Lawmaker said that the legislation hopes to bring topnotch healthcare closer to the people of the area.
Tagged” Federal Medical Center Okigwe (Establishment) Bill, 2023″, Senator Ibezim explained “We cannot overemphasized the importance of health facility in a place and l believe and always said it, that at least every senatorial district should have a federal medical center. We would do all we can to fast-track all the bills before we go for campaign and election.
“Tomorrow, l am very sure that the Federal Medical Center Okigwe (Establishment) Bill, 2023 (SB1100) will pass second reading, this is to show you how fast the Senate is going to fast track work, ” he stressed.”
In a related development, the Bill seeks to provide legal backing to the Project Development Institute (PRODA) in Enugu State, on Tuesday, also scaled second reading at the Senate.
Sponsored by Senator Ibezim, the legislation aims at setting up a Project Development Agency (PDA) which will provide clemency to the institute by carrying out industrial research from the laboratory to the pilot plant stage, and rendering consultancy services to government, industries and individuals, and for related matters,
Titled “SB. 1097: 2023”, it will further generate and catalyze industrialization in a region with the need to showcase natural products.
In his lead argument, the Bill sponsor said, “For PRODA that has been established for 43 years, in Enugu, southeast of Nigeria to function optimally, we have to give it a legal backing. So, coming to Senate and realizing that it has no legal backing, l felt like, there is no reason why we should not give it legal backing because once PRODA has legal backing, it would be very effective and do the right functions it ought to do.
