By Asma’u Ahmad
Sokoto State House of Assembly, on Wednesday passed into law the State Contributory Healthcare Management Scheme Bill.
Newsmen report that the bill was passed after the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Health, presented by its Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Sarki. Sarki had explained that apart from civil servants, political appointees and other citizens were free to join the scheme.
He also said that the committee recommended that 20 per cent generated from Zakkat, paid through the state zakat and endowment committee, be dedicated to the scheme.
“The law shall eliminate all issues that might bring doubts on the acceptance of the scheme in the community.“Ten per cent of salaries of all elected office holders and political appointees be deducted in favour of the scheme and a legal adviser should be provided for the Agency,” Sarki said.
The bill was unanimously adopted during the sitting presided by the Deputy Speaker, Abubakar Magaji. In another development, the Assembly has urged the state government to replace damaged power installations in Rabah Local Government that had left many communities without electricity.
The call followed a motion moved by Abdullahi Zakari, who represents Rabah constituency. According to Zakari, 80 per cent of villages in the local government have been without electricity for over three years.
He said, “This is due to the windstorm that damaged the infrastructure and subsequent theft of most of the cables and other electrical installations.
“Therefore, it is deemed necessary to request the urgent intervention of the state government to restore electricity supply to the affected areas.”
He listed some of the affected villages to include, Maikujera, Riji, Gwaddodi, Gidan Buwai, Kundus, Rara, Tafara, Kurya, Tsamiya, Yar Tsakuwa, Gandi, Dankarmawa and Dangazori.
