Alhaji Mohammed Miya, the Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, has pledged the House’ commitment toward the eradication of polio in the state.
He gave the assurance in Bauchi on Thursday when he received a delegation of the Bauchi State Committee on Polio and Primary Health Care who came to solicit the legislature’s support for its activities.
Miya particularly pledged that the Assembly’s Committee on Health would liaise with the committee on finding appropriate ways to tackle the menace of polio in the state through legislation.
He said that the legislatures of states in the north-east geopolitical had resolved to make the entire zone polio-free, stressing that no stone would be left unturned in efforts to achieve this goal.
Miya, however, urged the committee to intensify its polio immunisation efforts in order to eradicate the disease.
Speaking, the Emir of Dass, Alhaji Othman Bilyaminu, who is the committee’s Chairman, said that the efforts of the committee were hindered by the inadequate attention given to the anti-polio campaign by the state government and the local government councils.
He noted that the development had resulted in the emergence of four new polio cases in Gamawa, Kirfi and Ganjuwa local government areas this year.
Also speaking, Dr Adamu Ibrahim, the WHO? Representative in Bauchi State, said that tangible efforts should be made to legislate on compulsory polio immunisation, adding that out of the 31 polio cases in the world, 10 was from Nigeria.
He said during a surveillance carried out in Giade, Katagum, Bauchi, Ningi and Itas-Gadau Local Government Councils in the state, only Giade recorded a 100 per-cent compliance with the immunisation schedules.
In another development, Miya received a delegation of the Tipper branch of the state chapter of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), led by its Chairman, Alhaji Almustapha Ibrahim.
The NURTW solicited the assistance of the House in getting land for the permanent site of its headquarters, while calling for legislation that would promote the fulfilment of their business.
Ibrahim also urged the government to provide NURTW members with loans to enable them to purchase more tippers.
Miys pledged that the legislature would prevail on the executive arm to facilitate the union’s requests, noting that NURTW was a dependable ally in efforts to provide enough housing to the populace.(NAN)