Peace University Housing

Health FoI my most memorable bills –Jonathan

0
284

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed that among the numerous bills he assented to while in office as president, three of them have remained very dear to his heart.

Jonathan gave the insight during his remarks as a special guest of honour at the opening of a three-day health summit organised by the Bayelsa State Government in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Monday.

 He listed the three special bills as the National Health Bill, the Freedom of Information Bill and the Nigerian Local Content Bill establishing the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.

 Among the dignitaries at the event were Governor Douye Diri, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire;  Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu; WHO Country Representative, Dr Walter Mulombo; and Dr Osahon Enabulele, who was the keynote speaker.

 The former President, however, said among the three pieces of legislation,  the local content law was making the most impact because it provided for a board to oversee the activities of the NCDMB.

 Jonathan said, “I thank the Honourable Minister (of Health) and the (state) Commissioner for Health who made reference to the National Health Bill that I signed into law in 2014. As president, I signed so many bills into law, government bills and private bills.

 “But there are three bills that till today I am quite pleased that we signed into law. The National Health Bill is one of them. The second one is the Freedom of Information Bill that affects my good media people and the third is the Nigerian Local Content Bill.

 “But the Local Content Law provides a board that manages the process; they are working very well and the results are obvious. But these other two are not because there is no ombudsman kind of to oversee what is being done.

 “I believe that 30 to 40 per cent of doctors practising in Nigeria will not even know the details about that (National Health) Bill. So I will request the Honourable Minister, as you go back to Abuja; luckily from what you said, you are expanding on that Act, may be developing a manual to guide practitioners.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here