Senators kick, as controversial bill similar to Reps’ Infectious Diseases Bill passes first reading at Senate

A National Health Emergency Bill on Tuesday passed first reading at the Nigerian Senate.

The bill, which is a quarantine law, is similar to the Infectious Disease Bill, at the House of Reps, which have been generating controversies.

Senator Chukwuka Utazi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Disease, sponsored the bill.

The bill did not scale first reading without protest as a former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu frowned that the bill was distributed to members before its presentation.

He requested that the bill should be made available so that the lawmakers would know its details.

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According to him, making the bill available would give him and other lawmakers the opportunity to understand the it’s contents and come up with informed comments.

In his response, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan urged the management to ensure a copy of the bill was distributed to members before its second reading at another legislative day.

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