House Steps Down Bill Seeking to Stop Medical Practitioners from Strike

Proposes legislation against medical trips for public officials

Udora Orizu

The House of Representatives at plenary yesterday, stepped down a bill seeking an amendment to the trade disputes Act, 2004, that sought to prohibit strike action by medical practitioners.

The proposed legislation titled: “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Trade Disputes Act, Cap. T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Prohibit Medical Practitioners in the Employment of Federal, State and Local Governments (as Employees in the Essential Service Sector) from embarking on Strike and to Accelerate Administrative and Judicial proceedings in the Determination of Trade Disputes involving them; and for Related Matters,” was sponsored by Hon. Simon Atigwe (PDP, Enugu).

In his debate, Atigwe based his decision for seeking amendment to the Act on personal experience, lamenting that he had lost a lot of loved ones due to doctors’ industrial action.

According to him, “My amendment is out of experience, I have lost so many of my loved ones through strike by medical doctors. I feel that if we can checkmate them then we can save lives. We are not saying they will be forced to work; the law is providing procedures on how their issues should be handled.”

Raising a point of order, Hon. Iduma Ghariwey made reference to Section 34, Sub-section (1c) of the constitution which provides that: ‘o person shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.’

Corroborating, the lawmaker’s assertion, the Deputy Speaker Hon. Idris Wase who presided over the session, informed Atigwe that he can’t make a law that would be above the constitution.

He urged the sponsor to remember his oath he took before assuming office.

Thereafter the sponsor, Atigwe agreed that the Bill be stepped down for further legislative consultation and inputs.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday passed for second reading, a bill seeking to amend the National Health Act, to provide sanction of N500 million or seven years’ imprisonment for public officials who travel abroad for medical care at public expense.

The proposed legislation titled, “Bill for an Act to Amend the National Health Act, 2014; and for Related Matters (HB. 1611),” was sponsored by Hon. Serguis Ogun (PDP, Edo).

The bill generated murmurs from lawmakers as they listened to the sponsor’s debate.

Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka (APC, Ogun) who earlier seconded for the second reading of the bill, raised a point of order, withdrawing his earlier decision to second.

Reacting, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase who presided over the session reminded him that according to legislative rules, a seconding to a motion or bill cannot be withdrawn. He thereafter asked the sponsor, Ogun to continue with his debate.

Continuing, Ogun explained that the objective of the bill was to amend the Principal Act so as to make provision for sanctions against any public officer who violates the provisions of the Act, especially Section 46 of the Act, which provides that; “Without prejudice to the right of any Nigerian to seek medical check-up, investigation or treatment anywhere within and outside Nigeria, no public officer of the Government of the Federation or any part thereof shall be sponsored for medical check-up, investigation or treatment abroad at public expense except in exceptional cases on the recommendation and referral by the medical board and which recommendation and referral shall be duly approved by the Minister or Commissioner of health of the State as the case may be.”

He said the bill when it becomes law would reduce the export of medical doctors abroad, curtail excessive medical trips of public officers abroad and direct their attention to fixing the poor state of the country’s health sector.

When put to a voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, it got the support of majority of the lawmakers and was passed.