Senate Renews Commitment to a Healthier Nigeria as Senator Lere Oyewumi, Represents Senate President at Public Hearing
The Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Kamorudeen Olalere Oyewumi, today officially declared open a two-day public hearing on seven vital legislative proposals on behalf of the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON. Organized by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), chaired by Distinguished Senator Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the public hearing at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja brings together lawmakers, healthcare professionals, regulators, and citizens to deliberate on crucial health reforms.
Delivering the Senate President’s address, Senator Oyewumi emphasized that a nation’s health is measured not merely by the physical infrastructure of hospitals, but by the lives saved, suffering prevented, and dignity restored, describing healthcare as the foundational pillar of national productivity, education, and development. The seven bills under consideration cover critical areas including digital health integration (E-Health), combating counterfeit and fake drugs, strengthening food and drug regulations, establishing the Federal Medical Centre in Argungu, Kebbi State, and reforming governance for bodies like the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Radiographers Registration Board.
Highlighting the urgent need for stringent enforcement, the address described counterfeit medicine as a weapon against public health rather than a mere fraudulent product, calling for laws that fortify safeguards against fake drugs while encouraging legitimate pharmaceutical innovation and leveraging technology to bridge healthcare disparities between rural and urban populations. He stressed that protecting the public from sub-standard medical products requires uncompromising regulatory vigilance and collective accountability across the entire health sector.
Reaffirming the 10th Senate’s commitment to result-oriented and people-centered legislation, Senator Oyewumi urged participants to engage with intellectual honesty and prioritize national duty over institutional rivalries. He noted that while legislation cannot eliminate every disease or guarantee immortality, parliament has a constitutional duty to build robust systems that prevent avoidable failures and needless deaths. Declaring the two-day public hearing open, he assured all stakeholders that their contributions would be fully integrated to construct a safer, healthier, and more compassionate Nigeria.
Signed:
Media Unit,
Office of the Senate Deputy Minority Leader
