The Senate on Tuesday passed for a second reading a bill seeking to establish the Federal Oil and Gas Hospital in Benikrukru, Delta State to provide for comprehensive medical services for workers in the oil and gas industry as well as communities affected by the oil and gas operations and explorations in the area.
This was sequel to the consideration of the piece of legislation sponsored by Senator Joel Thomas (APC Delta South) during plenary.
Thomas, while leading debate on the general principles of the bill, said it would ensure that workers in the oil and gas industry and their host communities have unhindered access to adequate and quality healthcare services.
This, according to him, would reduce health risks associated with oil and gas, adding that siting the hospital in the Niger Delta would also help the communities access other emergency medical services.
The location of the hospital, he explained, 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.
Senator Thomas added that the hospital, when established would improve exploration activities in the region for the socio-economic development of the country.
He said: “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.”
The lawmaker disclosed that the proposed hospital would be funded by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, adding that the project would not pose additional financial burden on the Federal Government.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP Bayelsa West), said that the siting of the medical facility was the right thing to do, stressing the need for such project in the area.
Also, Senator Ede Dafinone (APC Delta Central), said that the facility would provide support to people who sustain oil and gas-related injuries in particular, arguing that there is no alternative nearby remedy for such cases in the oil and gas industry.
In his remarks, the Deputy President of Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North), 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.
He noted that the hospital, when established, would help improve the health related needs of the workers in the oil and gas industry in particular and people of the region in general.
