Senate introduces Health Emergency Bill

A National Health Emergency Bill, 2020, has been introduced at the Senate.

The bill sponsored by Chuwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu), was read for the first time on Tuesday at the start of plenary.

Deliberations on the provisions of the bill will take place on another legislative day.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has directed that copies of the bill be made available to every lawmaker before the next stage of the legislation.

This was after Ike Ekweremadu (PDP, Enugu) protested that they are yet to get copies of the bill.

Mr Utazi’s legislation comes a week after the House of Representatives introduced and deliberated the controversial Control of Infectious Disease Bill.

The bill had triggered outrage among Nigerians not only because of the provisions of the bill but also the speedy consideration and passage by members of the House.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported the full details of the bill.

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QueenEsther Iroanusi

QueenEsther Iroanusi covers the National Assembly for PREMIUM TIMES. She is a 2018 Female Reporters Leadership Programme fellow of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. She has a degree in French. She can be reached on Twitter @QueenExtha

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