Kwara Assembly Passes First Private Member Bill Into Law

The Kwara State House of Assembly made history, by passing the first private member bill into law.

The bill which is titled " Kwara State Health Insurance Law" is  sponsored by a member representing Kiaima/Kemanji/Wajibe Constituency Hon. Ahmed Ibn Mohammed.

The law which repeals the State Community Health Insurance law,is  expected to make all categories of the people have access to affordable health care delivery across the State, a service that had been hitherto enjoyed by the rural  areas of the State.

The new State Health Insurance Scheme also accommodates the vulnerable, including Students, Civil Servants and private individuals.

   The Agency according to the bill, if assented to, by the Governor is expected to be financed by at least one percent of the State's consolidated revenue, grant from the donor agencies, State's take off grant and premium to be paid by Civil Servants and other  individuals.

   Speaking shortly after the passage of the bill, the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad, who directed the Clerk to the House Alhaji Ahmed Katsina Mohammad to prepare a clean copy for the Governor's assent, expressed delight that the State was at the fore front of Community Health Insurance Scheme which took off in the State in 2007.

   He said the people of the State would benefit greatly from the establishment of the agency, pointing out that with the passage of the bill, the State has demonstrated that all segments of the society were important.

    In his remark, the sponsor of the private member bill and a member representing Kaiama/ Kemanji/ Wajibe Constituency Hon. Ahmed Ibn Mohammed who praised the Speaker, other members of the House and the state government, for the political will demonstrated on the bill, disclosed that a sum of N200m had been set aside by the state government in the 2017 budget for the take off of the scheme, once assented to, by the Governor.