The Senate on Tuesday passed two bills seeking to establish two federal universities in Ekiti and Nasarawa states.

The proposed legislation are Federal University of Health and Medical Sciences Iyin, Ekiti State (Establishment) Bill, 2021; and the Federal University Lafia Teaching Hospital (Establishment) Bill, 2021.

The bills were sponsored by Senators Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central); and Tanko Al-Makura (APC, Nasarawa South).

The approval of both bills followed the presentation and consideration of two separate reports by the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central), in his presentation, said the bill to establish the Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital was “necessitated as a result of the precarious health conditions faced by resident.”

According to him, the bill to establish the Federal University of Health and Medical Sciences Iyin, Ekiti State, seeks to promote and emphasize teaching, research and extension of knowledge in the field of medicine and environmental sciences.

In a related development, the Senate on Wednesday passed a third bill to amend the University Teaching Hospitals (Reconstitution of Boards) Act.

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The bill’s passage by the upper chamber followed consideration of a report by the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).

Oloriegbe in his presentation explained that the amendment bill seeks to amend the First Schedule to the Principal Act to include the University Teaching Hospital, Lafia and Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital.

In a related development, a bill seeking to establish the Federal College of Education, Kaiama, Kwara State, scaled second reading during plenary.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar (APC, Kwara North).

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after the bill was considered, referred it to the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.

The Committee which is chaired Senator Ahmad Baba Kaita was given four weeks to report back to the upper chamber.