A Bill for a law for the establishment of the Dr Umaru Sandah Ahmadu College of Health Technology, Lokoja, 2024 has passed second reading on the floor of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
This is contained in a press statement signed and made available to the media by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Yabagi Mohammed.
The Bill, which was put on notice and laid before the House subsequently read for the first time on Wednesday, October 29th, 2024 is a Private Member Bill sponsored by the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf.
The statement noted that the bill seeks to establish a College of Health Technology here in Lokoja, the Headquarters of Lokoja Local Government Area, and the capital of Kogi State.
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill and the merit of the proposed college before the bill was read for the second time by the clerk, the Speaker, who left the principals’ seat and sat with the other members said the college aims to provide educational services in health technology and public health diagnosis, in line with standards set by six federal regulatory bodies and two state ministries, namely: National Board of Technical Education (NBTE), Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, Community Health Practitioners Board of Nigeria, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Environmental Health Practitioners Board of Nigeria Health Information Management Practitioners Board of Nigeria, and two State bodies namely the State Ministries of Health and Education.
These bodies, the Speaker noted, will oversee the institution to ensure adherence to best practices and guidelines in health technology education.
“The passage of this bill is necessitated by the need to establish a legal framework in regulating the administrative, academic, and operational activities of the proposed College of Health Technology.
“It aims to offer courses, training, and research in health sciences and technology, leading to the award of certificates, National Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma (HND), and professional certifications. The college will serve the catchment areas, the state, and the nation by providing continuing education in health sciences and supporting state efforts in delivering healthcare services to the local community.”
The 36-page bill is structured into 9 parts with 58 Clauses and supplementary provisions (Schedules 1, 2 and 3).
If considered and passed by the Assembly, the bill will, among others, establish the Dr Umaru Sandah Ahmadu College of Health Technology to be headed by a Provost who shall hold a minimum qualification of master’s degree in health-related courses and a registered educator.
The Governing Council and other administrative authorities with explicit and clearly defined responsibilities set out in the Bill with the Academic Board constituted with selected management officers of the College, elected members and heads of each of the Schools in the College.
The Board shall ensure strict compliance with the health curriculum of the College, excellence in academic activities, regulations on the admission of students into the College as well as conduct of examinations.
The bill also provides that schools under the College, namely: School of Medical Laboratory Science; School of Pharmaceutical Science; School of Environmental Health Science; School of Health Information Management Science; and the School of Dental Surgery Technicians shall deal primarily with courses in health sciences and emerging technological courses leading to the award of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND), among others.
The bill also highlights that Committees like the Finance and General-Purpose Committee (F & G P C), and others shall, subject to the directions of the Governing Council, aggregate control on the properties, finances, discipline and academic as well as administrative activities of the College.
While stressing that fitness fuels fortune and that the greatest asset anyone would have is their health, and pleaded with his colleague lawmakers to support the passage of the bill for the college to contribute to healthcare delivery and train future health professionals capable of diagnosing diseases and treating patients within Lokoja, Kogi State and Nigeria.
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