A bill for the establishment of Federal Medical Center in Ode-Irele town of Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State has passed through the first reading at the Senate plenary.

Starnews Nigeria reports that the Senate started the legislative process for the establishment of the Federal Medical Center on Tuesday.

The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Nicholas Tofowomo, sponsored the bill for the establishment of the Hospital, which according to him would employ over 1000 indigent Doctors, Nurses and other unskilled Labour after its passage and signing by the President.

According to Tofowomo, there’s no presence of federal government in the six local governments of Ondo South which is contributing to the economic growth of Nigeria through oil revenues.

Speaking with Journalists the moment the bill was read for the first time, Senator Tofowomo said he has decided to present all his bills for first reading before the end of April, which would impact development to the various local governments of Ondo South so that by May this year, the second reading of all his bills will begin and by the next year 2022, he would be talking about presidential assent with all the affected communities.

“Since I recovered from the accident of September 6, 2019, which took me out of the Senate for a whole year, I have been trying to close the gap by putting in place many productive bills even though I am still on crutches.”

“Like this Federal Medical Centre we are facilitating to Ode-Irele town, it would employ over 1000 indigent Doctors, Nurses and other unskilled Labour after its passage and signing by the President.”

“You would recall that there is a plan for a Federal University of Agriculture in Araromi Obu town and Cocoa Development Council in Ore town, both of which are under Odigbo local government council.”

“In Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo local government, we have a plan for a Federal School of Basic Studies and in Okitipupa local government, there is a plan for Bitumen Training Institute which is to be cited in Ode Aye town. I also have my plans for Ilaje and Ese-Odo local government respectively which would soon be unveiled before the end of April.”

“As you can see, I am working round the clock to present all my bills for first reading before the end of April which would impact development to the various local governments of Ondo South, so that by May this year, the second reading for all the bills will begin and before December, we will look back and thank God; and by 2022, we should be talking about presidential assent of all the bills with affected communities.”

“You see, in the whole of Ondo South – an oil-producing Senatorial District for that matter, there is no Federal Medical Hospital. What we have are state-owned hospitals which are even dying gradually, so citing a Federal Medical Centre in Irele town will create employment for over 1000 indigent Doctors, Nurses and other unskilled labour.”

With the Covid-19 experience, we need more hospitals. So, if we have the Federal Medical Centre in Irele, it will not only serve the residents of Ondo South but also Ondo State and it will serve over 2million people.

Ondo South must be developed because it is the economic base of Ondo State and it should not be left out of development.

In Kaduna, they have over 57 institutions but the reverse is the case in Ondo South, we have a polytechnic at Ile-Oluji which is not even well equipped as a standard institution. Kaduna State has over 7 health institutions, Ondo South has nothing, it is very sad and this is why I’m working round the clock to ensure Ondo South is developed.