Buhari signs National Health Authority Bill into law, leaves for UAE

 

.Commissions N23.5bn upgraded  projects in Bauchi

 

Measures to boost health delivery in Nigeria has seen President Muhammadu Buhari signing into law, the recently passed National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2022, repealing thereby, the National Health Insurance Scheme Act, Cap N42, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

 

President Buhari said at the signing of the new law that a Fund will be set up “to ensure coverage of 83 million poor Nigerians who cannot afford to pay premiums as recommended by the Lancet Nigeria Commission.”

 

He then went on to elaborate on how the Fund will be sourced: “For the large number of vulnerable individuals who are not able to pay health insurance premiums, a Vulnerable Group Fund will be set up to include a component of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund due to the Authority, Health Insurance Levy, Special Intervention Fund, and any investment proceeds, donations and gifts to the Authority.”

 

The President announced that the Authority will collaborate with state government Health Insurance Schemes to accredit primary and secondary health facilities and enroll Nigerians into the scheme in order to ensure the delivery of quality health care.

 

The new Act also enables the Authority and state governments to develop information management systems and digital records for better data collection, monitoring and quality assurance.

 

President Buhari tasked the Health Reform Committee to work with state governments, the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance Authority to ensure the implementation of the articles in the new Act.

 

 

Meanwhile, the President has departed Abuja to meet the new President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to convey his condolences on the passing of the former president and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

 

He is expected to extend his congratulations to the new President, renewing bonds of the longstanding friendship between Nigeria and the UAE.

 

The President, in an earlier congratulatory message to the new UAE leader, had reaffirmed Nigeria’s cordial relationship with the country, noting that the cooperation between both governments have helped Nigeria in tracking down illegal assets and tracing terrorist funds.

 

Under the new leadership, President Buhari looks forward to a bigger and stronger partnership for peace, stability and prosperity of both countries.

 

President Buhari will be accompanied by the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, the Minister of FederaCapital Territory, Mohammed Bello, and the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

 

Other members of his delegation are the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Monguno (Rtd) and the  Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

 

The President is expected back in the country on Saturday.

 

In another development, The President who  stated this during the commissioning ceremony at the Gubi dam water  corporation in Bauchi, said that the national water sector reform project under which the up-grading of the Bauchi township water supply scheme has been executed is part of the deliberate policy of his administration to promote better living for the populace by increasing access to improved water supply in some selected states, including bauchi.

 

Represented by the Secretary to the Federal government, Boss Gidanyelda Mustapha,President Buhari

called on the Bauchi state government ensure the culture of infrastructure maintenance for long-term benefit of the people of the state,pointing out that  the project was a collaborative effort between the Bauchi State government, the world bank and the federal government, saying that the project has become a success story.

 

According  to him, the federal government as it is required of a multi-lateral donor funded project, provided the sovereign guarantee as well as the critical supervision and over-sigth through the  office of the national urban water sector reform project domicile in the federal ministry of water resources.

 

He added, “I am happy to note that from the reports I have received, that the bauchi government executed the project credibly.I am not surprised at this accomplishment because the State governor personally pursued the project delivery with vigour and determination through allocation of resources, interventions to eliminate bottlenecks and challenges, including the COVID-19, which necessitated the project extension as well as paying attention to details”

 

“I note with satisfaction that the up-graded bauchi township water supply scheme has the capacity to supply water demand of over 1 million people and I congratulate the good people of Bauchi state, my people, for being the beneficiaries of this legacy infrastructure” .

 

In his address , Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State said that Bauchi metropolitan has for a long time, been bedeviled by scarcity of potable water with a population growing in leaps and bounds, largely because of the relative peace it enjoys.

 

He revealed that his government  flagged off the various construction activities under the Project, which  had been dormant due to lack of political will, adding that his government had to contend with some challenges in the execution of the Project due to late commencement of the procurement process and eventual impact of COVID-19 which all negatively impacted with the World Bank timelines on the project.

 

The Governor added, “i personally spearheaded the request for the extension of the Project period to compensate for the time lost as most manufacturing companies overseas were shut down and shipment came to a standstill.

 

“The World Bank gave an extension of six  months at the first instance and later gave additional three (3) months. This made it possible to complete the Project which is being commissioned today. The Project is meant to resolve the water supply challenge of Bauchi metropolis for the next 20 years and beyond. At its full capacity utilization, it will provide the water demand of over one million inhabitants of Bauchi metropolis” .