A bill seeking to empower the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to award Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in clinical medicine, dentistry and related disciplines, has scaled a second reading in the senate.
The upper legislative chamber also considered amendments to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Act to strengthen the agency’s institutional independence and operational autonomy.
The bills, sponsored by Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader, were considered during plenary on Tuesday.
Leading the debate, Bamidele said the proposed amendment to the National Postgraduate Medical College Act would allow the institution to establish academic programmes and award doctoral degrees in relevant medical fields.
He said the change would strengthen the relationship between specialist medical training, clinical research and advanced academic development.
“The proposed expansion represents an important step towards strengthening the relationship between specialist medical training, clinical research, and advanced academic development,” Bamidele said.
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👉 JOIN GISTSMATE WHATSAPP CHANNELHe added that the amendment would provide a legal framework for the college to contribute more directly to research capacity, clinical scholarship and specialised medical knowledge.
Bamidele said the bill would also empower the institution to develop and oversee doctoral programmes subject to accreditation and regulation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
On the NSIB Act, the senate leader said the proposed amendments were intended to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to investigate transportation accidents and incidents across relevant modes of transport.
He said the changes would improve the quality and credibility of safety investigations and ensure that findings from such investigations translate to practical measures to prevent future incidents.
Bamidele added that the bill sought to remove certain ministerial approval and recommendation requirements in the bureau’s appointment and administrative processes to enhance its independence.
Olalere Oyewunmi, deputy minority leader, seconded the NSIB amendment bill, while Tahir Monguno, senate chief whip, seconded the bill on the National Postgraduate Medical College.
After deliberations, Senate President Godswill Akpabio ruled that both bills had passed a second reading.
The National Postgraduate Medical College bill was referred to the senate committee on tertiary institutions and TETFund for further legislative consideration.
Akpabio also directed the senate committee on aviation to handle the legislative process on the proposed amendments to the NSIB Act.
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