Presentation of a bill seeking the establishment of Federal Medical Centre Mubi, Adamawa state, last week Tuesday, became controversial on the floor of the Senate between Senators Aishatu Binani Ahmed and Seriake Dickson. TAIYE ODEWALE.
Like presentations on any bill, seeking passage for second reading, Senator Aishatu Binani Ahmed (APC Adamawa Central) in her lead debate, advanced reasons why establishment of Federal Medical Centre Mubi in Adamawa state, was very necessary in terms of large population of people in the area and far distance of the area to Yola, the state capital where tertiary health care services can be accessed by those in need of it.
She went ahead by making a comparison between the population cum size of the state to some other ones where few of such hospitals will be enough like Bayelsa state according to her .
She said: “With a total land mass of 506.4km2 and population of 759,045,Mubi is neighbouring Nine Local Government Areas.
“This together with the population of Mubi North makes it 2,089,540 people (very much higher than Bayelsa state’s eight Local Government Areas, with a population of 1,704,515).
“Nonetheless, this historic town has suffered from government neglect in terms of federal presence especially in the area of tertiary healthcare delivery”.
Angered by the submissions, Senator Seriake Dickson from Bayelsa state , quickly raised up his hand which the President of the Senate mistook for intention to contribute to debate by obliging him .
Dickson wasted no time in reacting directly to the reference to Bayelsa state as a small state in population and size, by slamming Senator Binani and other past commentators, declaring that figures presented were not verifiable, making such remarks to be annoying and provocative.
He angrily argued that the size of Bayelsa — the physical land mass and the water bodies — is three times bigger than some states in the country.
Binani, he thundered, could have made her case without reference to Bayelsa.
“In my senatorial district, it will take me four days to go round. In my local government, Sagbama, it will take me three days to go round.
“I just felt I should rise up to enlighten the sponsor of this bill and by so doing the rest of the country.
“When people talk about population, they should be careful, because if you go deep and ask who conducted the census, who verified what and what are counted, who are the residents and how justifiable”.
In dousing the tension, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, quickly interjected by cautioning Dickson against inputting improper motives to the debate.
“Apparently, I have to guide this contribution because you have made your point and, giving our standing orders, we shouldn’t impute improper motives on the submission by our colleagues.
“The discussion is not on the population of Bayelsa or population census conducted before, we should rather concentrate on the subject matter, which is on the establishment of a federal medical centre.
“I agree that there are many questions people will like to raise, but I think the essence of this debate is to focus on the general principles and the merits of the bill,” he said.
But Dickson yelled further that debates and submissions in the hallowed chamber of the Senate on any subject matter, must be based on justifiable and verifiable facts, arguing that Binani referred to population figures in Bayelsa which he said were not verifiable.
“I only rose up to enlighten, without prejudice to the merits or demerits of the bill, that the premise that she has put forward as a reason or one of the reasons why this bill should be considered is faulty.
“That should be expunged, it should not form part of it. That is not factual, it is incorrect,” Dickson insisted.
Lawan intervened further by cautioning Dickson against reducing the debate to reaction to comments.
“I’m sure if we allow both of you to start marshalling points for your stance, this debate will turn to something else.
“Let me say that when you have an opportunity like this, what you do is, if you are convinced that there is an erroneous presentation, you simply bring out the fact, that this is wrong and this is correct.
“We don’t have to come down and reduce the debate to reactions. You were in the House of Representatives before you became a governor, I’m very sure you are very conversant with our processes here.
“We don’t input improper motives to debates or contributions or interventions by our colleagues,” Lawan pleaded.
Frantic efforts made by Senator Binani to make clarifications on her presentation by raising up her hand to be allowed to take the floor again , was rebuffed by the President of the Senate who hurriedly put to voice votes, whether the bill should be passed for second reading or not.
The bill, after being read for second reading, was referred to the Senate Committee on Health for more legislative inputs and reported back within four weeks.
Lawan in his remarks later , further doused the tension raised by some comments on the bill by saying that there is no State in Nigeria that does not require federal medical centres or other forms of tertiary health Institutions for quality health care service delivery to the people
“Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed in her presentation never said Bayelsa is not in need of such a very important facility if there is none yet or even more , if some are already provided for ; what she wants through this bill, is for such a facility to be provided in Mubi .
“The Senate and by extension, the National Assembly as congregation of Representatives of the people , will continue to treat with all seriousness , requests for such facilities in any part of the country “, he said.
None of the two senators honoured invitations sent to them by journalists covering the Senate for more comments on the controversial digression after plenary that day.
