The Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had tackled the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, over his criticism of the controversial NCDC Bill.
Gbajabiamila confronted the NCDC Boss on Tuesday when he was part of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to the House of Representatives to brief the House on the fight against the pandemic.
Gbajabiamila asked him to explain the criticism he made on the controversial Quarantine Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2020, which is popularly referred to as “NCDC Bill”.
The Speaker first enjoined the lawmakers to let him ask the NCDC Boss some “burning questions”.
He asked “You also purportedly said that no one consulted you. I will like clarification on those two statements.”
He further made reference to the earlier position of the PTF Chairman and SGF, Boss Mustapha, when he said the parliament needed to review the Quarantine Act and should create legal chassis for disease control and management.
In his response, Ihekweazu said he was not consulted on the bill. He added that he was looking forward to a new infection disease bill.
According to him, “I think that I speak for the PTF, my honorable minister and every member of our team – that we look forward to a new infectious disease bill, in fact, a new public health bill that brings together the functions of all the agencies.”
The Speaker was not satisfied with the response, he then asked if the amendment should be done after the pandemic, the NCDC Boss said: “It is not a question that I can answer now.”
Ihekweazu had criticized the bill on Monday evening on “Politics Today”, a political programme on ChannelsTv, where he was asked about his position on the controversial bill.
He posited that he was not consulted and added that “you don’t make bills in the midst of an outbreak”.
The West African Pilot News had earlier reported the highlights and reactions on the controversial bill.
