Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has bowed to public pressure to subject the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020 to a public hearing.
House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, in his opening remarks at Tuesday’s plenary, decried the public uproar that had trailed the proposed legislation since its first and second reading in the Green Chamber last Tuesday.
Gbajabiamila said that, contrary to speculations, the interest of the House was to enact a law that will strengthen the fight against infectious diseases in the country.
“The Control of Infectious Diseases Bill will be put forward to a public hearing where stakeholder contributions will be sought to make improvements to the bill before it is reviewed and debated by the committee of the whole. It is from the accumulation of this myriad of views, suggestions and good faith critiques from within and outside the House that we will arrive at final legislation that meets the present and future needs of our country, and which we all can support in good conscience,” the Speaker stated.