The Senate has passed for second reading a bill seeking an act to establish the Federal Oil and Gas Hospital in Benikrukru, Delta.
This followed the presentation of the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Sen. Joel Thomas (APC-Delta) at the plenary on Tuesday.
Thomas said the bill sought to provide comprehensive and specialised medical services for workers in oil and gas industry and host communities affected by exploration activities.
He said the bill would ensure that workers in the oil and gas industry and their host communities have unhindered access to adequate and quality healthcare services.
This, Thomas said would reduce health risks associated with oil and gas, stating that siting the hospital in the Niger Delta would also help the communities access other emergency medical services.
Thomas said that the location of the hospital would to a large extent, tame the agitations and restlessness of the Niger Delta and provide a wide range of treatment for oil and gas-related illness.
According to him, the siting of the hospital would improve exploration activities in the region for the socio-economic development of the country.
“It will interest you to know that the Delta South Senatorial District has the highest offshore oil production in Delta and second in the country.
“More specifically, the location indicated for this project is in the heart of offshore oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“This project will benefit oil companies and communities in Delta, noting that this location is home to many oil exploration activities of Chevron, Shell, ExxonMobil, Total among other oil companies,” he said.
He said that the proposed hospital would be funded by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, adding that the project would not pose additional financial burden on the Federal Government.
Sen. Seriake Dickson (PDP- Bayelsa), said that the siting of the medical facility was the right thing to do, stating that there was need for such project in the area.
Sen. Ede Dafinone (APC-Delta), said that the facility would provide support to people who sustained oil and gas-related injuries in particular, saying that there is no alternative nearby remedy for such cases in the oil and gas industry.
He said that it was good that the establishment of the facility would not result to additional pressure on the funding of the Federal Government.
Deputy President of Senate, Barau Jibrin, (APC-Kano), who presided at plenary referred the bill to the Committee on Health for further legislative inputs and to return back to plenary in four weeks.
Barau said that the bill, when passed would help improve the well-being and health related needs of the people.
